tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29625149001152567362024-03-05T20:25:15.584-06:00Studying His WordCome and study God's Word together with the Ladies of Journey Christian Church. Please come and read the discussion questions, comment and leave prayer requests.
Current Study: Lord, I Want To Know You, by Kay ArthurPennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-84096478685339448542010-10-05T09:48:00.001-05:002010-10-05T17:33:25.914-05:00Session 4: A ProposalWow! This week our story takes an incredible turn! We begin to see a softer side of Naomi and an even bolder & braver side of Ruth. <br />
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I can't wait to just jump into Chapter 3 of Ruth with you today!<br />
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If you haven't read Chapter 3 - please go and do so now. Believe me... you're not going to want to miss one juicy detail of this part of the story! It is truly drama-filled!<br />
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Here is the intro for this Session. <br />
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Here is the local group in session....<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="292" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/15565893" width="375"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/15565893">Ruth - Session 4</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4624837">Penny Franklin</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 1: A Mother-in-Law's Request</span></u></b></div><br />
Now before we get too deep into Chapter 3 of Ruth - I want to bring out a great point found in the last verse of Chapter 2. Read Ruth 2:23.<br />
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Wow! Ruth gleaned a very long time!!! She continued to do a very menial task, to provide for herself and for Naomi, with no hopes of anything ever really changed through the end of the barley harvest and the wheat harvest. <br />
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She didn't just happened to find Boaz's field one day and then was getting married and rescued the very next day! Often times God positions us in a place to be positioned for rescue - but we may have to wait for His delivery and provision.<br />
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Think about your life right now. Could it be that you are in "Boaz's field" - but just waiting for the harvest season to come to an end? Be patient. Glean or work on His timing and not your own!<br />
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What if Ruth had given up and moved on.... what a blessing we all would have missed!<br />
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Now on to Chapter 3....<br />
I just love how Naomi calls Ruth her daughter from the very beginning of this chapter. You can tell she has a real "love and care tone" to her voice just by the words that we read there in verse 1.<br />
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By sticking it out together I believe that Ruth & Naomi experienced healing for their hurting hearts.<br />
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As a result of this love and care for Ruth, Naomi comes up with a very strange plan for Ruth. She basically wants Ruth to get cleaned up and go to where she knows she will find Boaz and lay down beside him.<br />
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Now there are several evidences that - coming from Ruth - this was a wholesome act and not one to be questioned - regardless of how risky & risque it sounds:<br />
1. The clothing that she wore was not at all revealing - the Hebrew version of this part of the passage indicates she was well covered.<br />
2. The townspeople knew her to be a hard worker, a woman of noble character (we'll cover this more in a bit).<br />
3. The words that Ruth spoke to Boaz revealed her desire for Boaz to be a redeemer in her life!<br />
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Has God ever given you a strange plan to carry out? One that you were a little scared to fulfill? One that might have a few dangers along the way?<br />
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Remember these verses as you ponder this question: Proverbs 16:1, Proverbs 21:30-31, Jeremiah 10:23<br />
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This one was my favorite!<br />
Proverbs 20:24 - God ordains our steps and we may not ever fully understand them.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 2: A New Day</span></u></b></div><br />
I loved this day! I absolutely LOVE new clothes!! Do you? Today we get to see the significance of a new set of clothes. Let go!<br />
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Ruth set out to obey all that Naomi required of her to do with amazing amount of courage and bravery - don't you think? <br />
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As I think about Naomi's plan - Ruth could have so often turned around in the dark to just go back home. I don't know about you... but I'm not sure I would be able to travel to the threshing floor, all by myself in the dark of night! I don't even like to take something out to the trash or to the garage in the dark! So... way to go Ruth!<br />
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I want to ask you something...<br />
Do you make risky moves in your life? Then.. do you carry out those risky moves with courage or trepidation?<br />
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If God has ordained my steps and asked this risky move directly of me - I can move forward with the courage of Ruth!<br />
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Now on to the clothes...<br />
I would imagine that the clothes that Ruth wore every day reflected her state of mourning. But in order to carry out Naomi's plan, she had to change her clothes. I would imagine as well, that this was not just any "outfit" too - but rather something that signified she was moving forward with her life - that her time of mourning was over.<br />
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I love the question that Kelly asks of us on page 99...<br />
"Do you sense that God is asking you to throw of some weighty garments? Unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, discontentment jealousy, mourning, or anything else that might be keeping you in stagnant place?<br />
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Today focus on Isaiah 43:18-19. Remember not the former things - get cleaned up and look to the future! Make yourself available to the Lord in the same way that Ruth made herself available to Boaz - total surrender - at his feet! (which we're about to really talk about!)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 3: Lay Down</span></u></b></div><br />
Okay - just to be sure you've read... take another look at Ruth 3:5-9.<br />
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Oooooo.... it's getting good... don't you think?!<br />
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Did Ruth do exactly what Naomi told her to do? NO!!! She spoke - instead of waited for Boaz to speak! She did far more than answer, "It's just me, Ruth." She basically asks Boaz to marry her!!!<br />
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Can you say drama?!<br />
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I'm not sure that I could have laid still and quiet and actually RESTED - waiting for Boaz to wake up. Verse 8, says that Boaz was startled and woke up. I know this is just from my silly brain - but I wonder if Ruth coughed or sneezed or snored or something... in the hopes of him waking up sooner than later! LOL! I know, this has nothing to do with the study - but it just got me thinking!<br />
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Now before we move on to Day 4 - where we see Boaz's response - let's focus on the act of laying down that Ruth did.<br />
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I don't know about you... but love when there's something for me to do... especially when there's a problem to be "fixed". I'm sure this has a little something to do with my issues of control - off point - sorry!<br />
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After Ruth had followed Naomi's instructions she had to lay down at the feet of Boaz and wait... and rest.<br />
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Wait and Rest. Wow! Is it really possible to do both?! Yes!<br />
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Most of us are used to waiting - we understand that we must do that at times. But do we rest in our waiting? I love what Kelly says on page 103, "This place of surrender is the most freeing of places to be and the hardest to get to."<br />
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Total Surrender. Are you there today? What would it take for you to get there? Yes, it's a costly & risky move - but so worth it in the end. It was for Ruth and it will be for you too!<br />
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"I Lay Down" Song<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 4: A Closer Relative</span></u></b></div><br />
Okay - from the very first paragraph I read something that really hit a chord with me. The very last sentence of the first paragraph on page 106 reads, "Yes, this is about Ruth, but so much more about our God."<br />
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Wow! I want my life story to be more about my God than about me! (okay - not really about Ruth chapter 3 - but very worth discussing!)<br />
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Noble character. The people of Boaz knew Ruth to be a woman of noble character. The Hebrew word here is chayil, meaning virtuous. It also means valor and strength. Well, we already know Ruth to be a strong and brave woman and now we see her as virtuous as well.<br />
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I'm reminded of another woman who was "chayil" - the woman King Lemuel's Mother describes in Proverbs 31. I absolutely LOVE this connection!<br />
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Okay - just a little history lesson here...<br />
Ruth is described as a woman of noble character - virtuous. Ruth is the great great grandmother of Solomon. Solomon is widely accepted to be the "King Lemuel" described in Proverbs 31. Solomon is the author of most of Proverbs. So.. I wonder as he was writing Proverbs 31 - if his mother was thinking about Ruth while she described a fitting & suitable wife for him? Interesting isn't it!!<br />
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The main lesson here - is that Ruth's character far exceeded her history or her past sin! We can take this and have hope for our life as well!!! Forget the former - clean up your character and let it blaze a trail for your new life ahead!!!<br />
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Okay before moving on to the final day of study - I must mention Luke 16:10. This has been the song of Ruth's life!<br />
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Read Luke 16:10. Ladies... Be faithful in the little! Keep doing what you're doing! Don't wait for the big opportunities to come along before you decide to be faithful! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 5: A Gift to Give</span></u></b></div><br />
Today we see Ruth go to Boaz for herself - and end up taking home more blessings for Naomi!<br />
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But all that happens at the end... let's back up a bit!<br />
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Ruth finds herself having to wait. I'm really beginning to believe that there are more stories in the Bible about "waiting" than "hurrying" - hmmm.... lesson here? I think so!<br />
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Read Ruth 3:14-18.<br />
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Boaz informs her that he would love to redeem her - but there was a closer relative (we'll more in detail about this person next week). So he would check with him and in the mean time - take some more barley to Naomi and wait for him to call her. Somehow I don't think this was the typically guy saying, "I'll call ya!" and then never does - LOL!<br />
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So while Ruth is waiting to see if she's going to marry Boaz or some other guy she doesn't even know... she carries a heavy load of barley back to her Mother-in-Law. Now that's service! <br />
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We just read about Waiting and Resting... and now we see Waiting and Serving. In both, Ruth had to wait. But she did in both cases - she acted appropriately. <br />
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I want to end today's study in the same manner that I did with the local groups. On page 110, Kelly says this, "I can get so spent running around, pouring out of my own paltry resources, and trying to drum something up for the people around me, when all along God has called me to be a deliverer of His gifts, not the creator of them."<br />
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Deliverer of His Gifts.<br />
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I want you to write this down "Deliverer of His Gifts" in the margin of your book on page 110. Draw a line under it and list His Gifts that He wants you to deliver to those around you.<br />
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These were mine:<br />
1. How to pray<br />
2. How to read the Bible - really!<br />
3. How to have contentment in really difficult situations<br />
4. How to have real joy<br />
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What were yours? These are things that we can do - while we're waiting... and I can speak from experience - they help me to truly be at peace & rest!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">I look forward to meeting you here for next week's study! </div><div style="text-align: center;">In the mean time... lay at the Redeemer's Feet!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CXE-fXOfZ3k97ghsarQSfHwcR986eqk5tAi81GkG0WPSmMXjNNG7tn8Chyphenhyphen4T-fkGIMUSisz2gZqwFnkYY6bIDeKBXtjVx_2LxFBzY-oalGZ2wNybwayrO8RuBD3wHjHyXqF6gFcX7HKU/s1600/SOFPenny.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8CXE-fXOfZ3k97ghsarQSfHwcR986eqk5tAi81GkG0WPSmMXjNNG7tn8Chyphenhyphen4T-fkGIMUSisz2gZqwFnkYY6bIDeKBXtjVx_2LxFBzY-oalGZ2wNybwayrO8RuBD3wHjHyXqF6gFcX7HKU/s1600/SOFPenny.png" /></a></div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-80162050564924896822010-09-28T11:10:00.001-05:002010-09-29T05:07:10.977-05:00Session 3: An EncounterThis week is all about kindness & humility! Typically in this online study, I jump right to the daily assignments. However, this week I was truly moved by the intro. If you haven't taken time to read it - please stop and do so now.<br />
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Here is the video from our local New Orleans session. Remember - the first 2-3 minutes are just an opener - please feel free to watch this - and then do you own study - or continue on to "join us" for our entire time of study!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="292" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/15365454" width="375"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/15365454">Ruth Study - Session 3, Week 4</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4624837">Penny Franklin</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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I love this story about how the probation officer took the time to be nice - to relate with Kelly's friend Lisa. Isn't it amazing how just one small statement - or even a look can make your day? We often look for someone to show us this kind of kindness in our every day lives - but how often do we look for others to show kindness to?<br />
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Today, really look that person in the grocery store in the eye and find a way to relate - to be kind! You just never know how it will impact their day!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><u>Day 1 - Unexpected Kindness</u></span></b></div><br />
Our text for this day is Ruth 2:10-12. Ruth wants to know why Boaz is being so nice to her. Ever wondered that about God? Boaz noticed Ruth for what she did, rather than how she looked! As Kelly puts it on page 68 - Boaz noticed her for her character rather than all the things she thought she would be known for - Moabite, widow, financial status.<br />
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Isn't it comforting to know that our Lord doesn't notice us by our sinful status - rather He wants to save us from it!!<br />
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Ruth was a very hard worker... and probably thought that no one noticed all that she was doing! Do you ever feel this way? Do you ever get weary & discouraged in thinking that no one sees all that you do? Read Isaiah 58:6-12 and find hope today!<br />
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Before we move on to Day 2 - I want to show you 2 more things...<br />
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On page 69 we read about how Boaz understood that God was Ruth's ultimate authority! He would do what he could to take care of Ruth - but in verse 12 we see him recognize that it would be the Lord who would reward & protect her. Read this verse and let the Lord speak to you as well.<br />
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I hope that no matter who you run to for strength and protection - that you too get that the Lord should be your ultimate provider!!<br />
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Read Psalm 91 - (yes the entire chapter!)<br />
I love how it talks about the shadow of God. Imagine for just a moment what His shadow must be like! There is no shadow bigger than the Lord's - and we can find comfort in His shadow!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 2 - Humility</span></u></b></div><br />
Ok, I TOTALLY loved the story that Kelly told about her Dad shining shoes before he became a Pastor!! If you haven't read it - go and do so now - it's on page 72.<br />
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This was my favorite quote, "the posture of his heart could be fully surrendered." Where is the posture of your heart today? It is in a place of complete and total humility and surrender?<br />
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Kelly talked about seasons of hardship and humbling and how they don't always make us feel good - but they do put us in a place to most be used and blessed by God!<br />
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I love the verses that she had us look up in this section of homework - Matthew 23:11-12, James 4:6, 10, 1 Peter 5:5-6. It is from these verses that we learn that exaltation comes not from promoting ourselves, but from humbling ourselves! God exalts us in His proper time! <br />
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In studying Ruth, we get to see Ruth's "proper or due time" - and we can have hope that God has a proper time to bring us up from that humble assignment and exalt us as well! So hang on - it's coming in due time!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 3 - Invited to the Table</span></u></b></div><br />
Read Ruth 2:14 Ruth had a seat at one of the best tables in the land! Here is the beautiful part of this invitation - she was invited just as she was and got restored in the process!<br />
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Boaz had the authority to invite her to his table and to dine with him. We too, ladies, have been invited to an amazing feast! We have been invited to eat at the King's table! Read Revelation 19:6-10.<br />
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We have been invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb! And ladies we will be wearing fine linen - bright and clean!<br />
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I don't know about you - but that sounds magical! Almost like a fairy tale that I ready to my daughter at night! He (Jesus) clothes us in His righteousness! Yes, we can come to the table as we are- but as we arrive, we find ourselves totally restored and clothed by the Lord!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 4 - A Generous Gift</span></u></b></div><br />
Read Ruth 2:15-19<br />
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On this day, I was completely inspired by how hard Ruth worked at such a menial task. And when given more to pick up - she actually does! She goes home with so much food for her and Naomi. I love how Kelly puts this on page 79, "God provides us with the gift of work yet still invites us to do the work."<br />
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Wow! I want you to think about how you "work". Is it a fun job? Do you get a ton of accolades? We never see Ruth complain! Today, thank God for the work that you do have and that you have able hands in which to work!<br />
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Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-11<br />
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What was your favorite part of this passage? Here's mine: verse 8, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."<br />
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Whew! Did you catch the "all's" and the "everythings" here? Now that is some energy to keep doing the work! No matter how tedious or mundane!<br />
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Ruth provided for Naomi and never complained. She never once told Naomi she would just go her on way once they got to Bethlehem. She never once asked Naomi to get up and help her! She didn't even question if Naomi was going to do anything to help bring in money or food. <br />
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Basically Ruth gave from the very place she had need herself! Ruth never wallowed! <br />
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Ouch! I know this was a moment of conviction for me! I wallow when I should be giving. I want to give you a challenge today:<br />
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Don't wallow - instead give from that exact area! On page 81, Kelly says, "We all have something to give even if we're broke or broken."<br />
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Today, find someway that you can give instead of wallow!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 5 - A Kinsman-Redeemer</span></u></b></div><br />
Read Ruth 2:19-23<br />
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I love this section of study! Mainly because I see my Lord in so much of what we learn about Boaz. Let's see...<br />
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Naomi asked Ruth where she had been and Ruth answers with a "who" instead of a "where". On one level I think this is kind of cute. Perhaps she has Boaz on the brain. Perhaps he was all she was thinking about so when Naomi asked where she gleaned - "Boaz" is all that could come out of her mouth!<br />
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{insert laughter and smiles here - remembering our first crush and such}<br />
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But on to a more serious correlation...<br />
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Kelly says on the bottom of page 83, "she knew the significance wasn't in the where, but in the who". Oh that we might see the same thing in our Lord! It's not about how I'm going to find the money to pay my bills, it's not about where to go to work, it's not about why is all this happening... instead it's all about the Who that can deliver and provide for it all!<br />
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This week we learned about what a kinsman-redeemer can do for their family! We get to see how Boaz has the opportunity to fully restore and redeem Ruth.<br />
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We also get to see some restoration happen in the heart of Naomi as well. Strange how going home - going back to the place where you know the Lord to be - can restore your soul.<br />
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When Naomi first left Moab she was very bitter because she felt that God had brought about all the hurt she was experiencing. Then look and see what she says in Ruth 2:20, "May he be blessed of the Lord..."<br />
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What?! We see Naomi talking about Boaz being blessed of the Lord! I some healing is going on in Naomi's heart! What can we learn from Naomi here? If you are bitter, sad, overwhelmed by all that's happened to you. Go back to where you know the Lord is working - church, your Bible, etc... and wait for the Lord to restore you. If it can happen to Naomi - a mother who lost both of her children, her husband, her home - it can happen to you!<br />
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Let the Lord be your Kinsman-Redeemer today! <br />
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To end our session - we listened to Kelly's song "Redeeming Love"<br />
<object height="292" width="375"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HqnB1AUlaJs?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HqnB1AUlaJs?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="375" height="292"></embed></object>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-85410790779059865932010-09-20T10:37:00.008-05:002010-09-20T16:46:34.233-05:00Session 2: ArrivingWhile in the last session we saw Naomi "get up" and arise, this week we will see Ruth "get to work!".<br />
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This week, as we journey with Naomi & Ruth, we finally arrive in Bethlehem. Our text for this week's worth of study comes from Ruth 1:19-21. I can hardly wait to share with you some of the wonderful truths that I personally took home from this portion of our study!!<br />
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<i>(In this video - there is a small 2 minute intro. Please feel free to stop the video after this intro. Otherwise feel free to watch our entire local bible study session).</i><br />
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</i><br />
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<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/15128698" width="375" height="292" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/15128698">Untitled</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4624837">Penny Franklin</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 1: Coming Home</span></u></b></div><br />
Did you notice that the town was stirring about Naomi "coming home"? I wonder if she was well known and well like. I wonder if the women were noticing Ruth and talking about who she was and why she was with Naomi. The scripture doesn't share these details with us, but as women, who love to talk - you can only imagine what was being whispered behind the tents of Bethlehem.<br />
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Also take note that Naomi changes her name. Naomi means "lovely" and in verse 20 she says to the women of the city to no longer call her by her given name, but rather to call her Mara - which means bitter. <br />
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Did you notice who she blames for all her hardships? the Almighty!<br />
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Look at verse 21 - "I went out full, but the Lord has brought me back empty. Why do you call me Naomi, since the Lord has witnessed against me and the Almighty has afflicted me?"<br />
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I want to ask you two things here...<br />
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1.) Can you be "lovely" and afflicted by the Lord at the same time? Naomi didn't think so. Was she on target or did she miss an opportunity to rise above her circumstances?<br />
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2.) Is it okay to be honest with God about your feelings about what He has allowed or caused to happen in your life?<br />
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I believe that it is okay to be honest with God. The fact is, He already knows your thoughts. If we would take the time to be honest with Him, about how we feel about Him, we would more than likely come to a place of dependance upon Him. And in dependance we find power! Power to rise above the junk that we're living through.<br />
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I hope you took the time to go through the verses where Job & David got honest with God. Seeing how our heroes of the faith dealt with affliction helps to guide us through our painful experiences - yet with their wisdom!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 2: A Hopeful Glimmer</span></u></b></div><br />
In this day's homework we begin to see a light far in the distance. The tide changes in these verses. But before we look at that glimmering light - I want you to see a wonderful summary of Ruth Chapter 1. <br />
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Look back on page 42 - first paragraph...<br />
"I say quickly because we can read the first chapter in a couple of minutes, potentially hindering us from giving proper weight to the famine, the move, the marriage of two sons, the death of a husband, the death of two sons, the beginning of a return journey, the turning back of one woman, and now the arrival in Bethlehem."<br />
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Wow! Now that is a lot to cover in one small chapter. Recently I wrote a "Decade in Review" on my Living Above blog. It was quite amazing to see all that happened in a 10 year period. Chapter 1 of Ruth is in essence the same thing. Remember they stayed in Moab for 10 years. So in just 10 years - Naomi went from complete joy to complete devastation.<br />
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What about you? What have you experienced in the past 10 years? What would your "chapter 1" look like?<br />
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Now on to the sowing & reaping...<br />
I love this quote from Hubbard told by Kelly on page 43 - "When God is at work, bitter hopelessness can be the beginning of some surprising good."<br />
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Look at Ruth 1:22 - "So Naomi returned, and with her Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, who returned from the land of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest."<br />
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I want to focus on the "barley harvest". This was were it all starts turning good for these two ladies! I'm sure they knew or understood the extent of the "good" that was to come... but a harvest is almost always a sign of hope! Seed has been sown and now produce is to be harvested or reaped!<br />
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I want to ask you today - When was your barley harvest? Have you experienced a time in your life when everything was all bad - all the time - and then something happened that made it all good?<br />
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Today - look for and identify your barley harvest! Thank God for sowing those seeds and reaping them for your benefit & good.<br />
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One quick thing... if you think for a moment that it's just not your season for sowing or reaping... THINK AGAIN!!!<br />
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Read Genesis 8:22. While the earth remains, shall not cease - these are pretty good indicators that it's always a time of sowing and reaping - for everyone!<br />
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At this time in the workbook, Kelly inserts a song for us to enjoy that goes along with our study. As you listen to the song, follow along on page 46 of your book. I want you to imagine Ruth & Naomi - arriving in Bethlehem, tired, weary and emotional, and yet understanding that it was time to reap the barley harvest!<br />
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<i>(If you want to watch our local Bible Study in session - feel free to click here. If not, skip over this video to continue reading our homework summaries!)</i><br />
<iframe frameborder="0" height="292" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/15124690" width="375"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/15124690">Ruth Study - 9-15-10 - Part 2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user4624837">Penny Franklin</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;">Day 3: A Mysterious Relative</span></u></b></div><br />
I just love history. You really can have a better understand of what's happening today - when you understand what's come before you!<br />
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We get to see a little of the history behind Ruth's story in this day's homework. We learn that Boaz was from Elimilech's family. Remember that Elimilech was Naomi's husband. We also learn that Boaz was a wealthy man. <br />
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Read Ruth 2:1-3<br />
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I want to focus on verses 2-3 for just a bit. Did you notice that in verse 2 and also in Ruth 1:22 - the author of Ruth refers to Ruth as the Moabitess! As if we had forgotten that she was from that sinful place!!! Why do you think they refered to Ruth in this manner?<br />
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I love what Kelly has to say about this on page 48 - at the bottom - "it's a tarnished heritage she is powerless to change."<br />
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I want to ask you today - do you have a "tarnished heritage" that you too are powerless to change? Perhaps it's a life style, or a life status? Or maybe it's more about your current living location or conditions? Or maybe it's more about the results of a sin in your life? <br />
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I want to give you some hope today! Keep reading Ruth! Ruth overcomes her "Moabitess" status and you can overcome your sinful status as well. Don't let it linger and identify you! Ruth finds a redeemer in Boaz (<i>sorry, I know I'm getting ahead here - but I want to sow some seeds of hope for you!</i>) and you have a Redeemer as well that accepts you in your sinful status and makes you clean!<br />
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Again just a few more things... before we move on to Day 4. (I'm really trying to keep it short - but it's just stuffed with too much good stuff to learn!)<br />
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In Ruth 2:2 - look at how respectful Ruth is to Naomi. She basically asks permission to go out and find a way to provide for the two of them. Don't miss this! Notice that there is always room for us to be polite - no matter how desperate our circumstances are! There is no need for us to transfer our heartache onto someone else by being rude!<br />
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Glean. What a word. Ruth asks if she could go out and glean and basically find someone to be gracious to her. Do you know what the word glean means? It means to gather or to pick up. Basically Ruth was asking Naomi if it was okay if she joined the other poor people and gather and pick up what was left behind by the servants or hired hands in someone else's field.<br />
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What a lowly job! In today's standards, it might be getting in line at a soup kitchen. Or standing in line to apply for unemployment. I don't know this for sure... but I would imagine that coming from Moab, Ruth didn't do too much "gleaning." And in doing so - she was hoping to find someone that would show her some favor.<br />
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Where are you today? Are you hoping & praying someone will show you some favor? If so, don't give up! Ruth didn't and as a result... she just so "happened" to come to Boaz's field. Has God ever provided for you in a "just so happened" kind of way? Praise Him for His provision right now if He has!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><u>Day 4: A Day's Work</u></b></span></div><br />
Here we see Ruth get to work! I loved this day's homework. Ruth, yes was a Moabite - but she was also a very hard worker. Look at what Kelly says about Ruth and the foreman on the bottom of page 53. "The foreman reminds us that where we come from and what kind of blood runs though our veins is not nearly as impactful as our character and reputation.<br />
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Ruth saw no task beneath her (gleaning) and she arrived early (she had been there since early morning!).<br />
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I want to ask you today - Is there work, or an assignment that you have not embraced because you think it is too beneath you? If so... you might just be missing not only a HUGE blessing - but God's rescue for you!<br />
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By Ruth humbling herself to be a gleaner - she put herself in just the right location to meet Boaz! And from the union of Ruth and Boaz we get King David and eventually Jesus! Think about this for a moment. What amazing event are you missing out on in the future - all because you will not bow low to what God wants you to do today!<br />
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Don't wait sit around and wait for things to "just happen to and for you" - be like Ruth & get to work!<br />
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On page 56, Kelly asks us what was meaningful to us in the lesson. My answer was this:<br />
"No task is too small! You (God) provided even in the what seemed like the mundane!"<br />
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<i>(I did have a small little aside question for God... Ruth 2:7 - the foreman takes note that she had been sitting in the house only for a little while. I asked God would I ever get to sit in the house - if just for a few minutes of rest - :) LOL!)</i><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: orange;"><b><u>Day 5: A First Encounter</u></b></span></div><br />
We finally get to see the romance get started! Don't you wish you could watch this story unfold on the big screen?!<br />
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Read Ruth 2:8-9. Wow! He talks to her! Let's listen in...<br />
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"Listen carefully, my daughter. Do not go to glean in another field; furthermore, do not go on from this one, but stay here with my maids. Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Indeed, I have commanded the servants not to touch you. When you are thirsty, go to the water jars and drink from what the servant draw."<br />
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Wow! I think he likes her - what do you think? LOL!<br />
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He wants to stay with him. He wants to provide for her. He wants to protect her. He wants to bring some ease to her life.<br />
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Boaz did not condemn Ruth for her Moabite status. It's as if he completely overlooks this about her moves right into taking care of the innocent! My sweet sisters... this is EXACTLY what Jesus wants to do for us. I want you to read Ruth 2:8-9 again. But this time, imagine Christ saying this to you!<br />
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Jesus wants you to stay with Him. He wants to provide for you! He wants to protect you from harm and evil. He want to give you living water that will quench your dry spirit! Please let Him! He doesn't condemn you - He loves you so! Drink from His well of kindness.<br />
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Close your Bible study time listening to Kelly's song - Arriving. It's an upbeat song that will put a spring in your step today!<br />
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See you all later! Session 3 is going to be GREAT!!!<br />
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Your sis in the faith,<br />
PenPennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-89239251072749344932010-09-09T06:50:00.003-05:002010-09-09T10:34:04.613-05:00Session 1: Two JourneysWelcome to our first real week of studying Ruth! I'm not sure if you've already done your "homework" or if you're checking in with the blog first... but I would like to encourage you to go and read & work through the first 5 days of assignments in Session 1.<br />
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You're going to read about 2 very different journeys. Come on back and let's talk about them when you're done!<br />
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If you've already completed the daily work - then let's dive right in!<br />
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I'm having a journey of my own through this study... it's one of a technical nature. We do have video this week! Yeah! However the video for the entire study somehow (operational error) did not record. I promise for week 2 - you'll get to see and watch and hear the entire local study!<br />
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But for now - please listen to this introduction and summary of Session 1. In this video - I point out a few things that I saw that are not necessarily in your book. They're just a few things that seemed to just jump off the pages of my Bible and I want to share them with you!<br />
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Okay, let's get started. I've outlined just a few things (day by day) that I hope you picked up while doing your own study. Please feel free to leave your comments here. I would love to build a community of new friends and sisters in the faith - right here on this Bible study blog!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 1 - Fleeing Home</u></b></div><br />
I loved learning about how Naomi & Elimelech "found" themselves in Moab. It's interesting to me that they choose to go to such a place. Based on the other verses that we read in this chapter, I'm guessing that every good Israelite knew that the people of Moab were not God-fearing folks.<br />
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They left Bethlehem because there was a famine and decided to go to Moab - where there was food. I wonder if there was another more pleasing option for them to choose - some place other than Moab. <br />
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I hope you did your homework and discovered how the nation of Moab came to be! It all goes back to Lot in Genesis. Take to to dig this out if you haven't had a chance. <br />
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I love this from Kelly, "Perhaps the Lord has you in difficult circumstances and the attractive land of Moab is an alluring decision away. Escaping to easier terrain is all too tempting when we're weary in hardship."<br />
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Are you weary today? Do you just want to escape and you're willing to throw caution to the wind just for a "piece of bread?" As we read more about Ruth's story I hope that you can learn from their mistakes and cling to your God no matter how hard the times get!<br />
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Don't lose heart! Galatians 6:9 - for a wonderful harvest is waiting for you if you don't give up!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 2 - Returning Home</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Naomi made the first journey - from Bethlehem to Moab with her husband and 2 sons. Then she returned to Bethlehem with a completely different group of people. Naomi was the only one who made both trips!<br />
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Upon arriving in Moab, Naomi's 2 sons took for themselves Moabite wives. Makes sense, it's where they are living. Does this make it okay or even right? No way! And very quickly in our reading of Ruth, we find all the men gone! First Naomi's husband and then later both of her sons die. <br />
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Think about this for a moment. You lose both your husband and your 2 sons within a very short period of time! I was amazed this week to see how Naomi handles this! What would be your reaction? How would you handle this extremely tragic loss?<br />
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Let's look and see what Naomi did. Read Ruth 1:5-6.<br />
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What did Naomi do right after reading that her sons died? You can answer this within the first 2 words of the verse!<br />
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She arose. She got up! I found this to be amazing! I would probably be in the bed not answering my phone or talking to anyone!!! And we see Naomi get up! <br />
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I want to ask you today - do you need to arise? Do you need to get up from where you are - a place you should have never come to in the first place?<br />
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Let's look and see what she did next... (same verses)<br />
She packed her bags to head back to Judah, for she had heard that the Lord had visited His people!<br />
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She got up and decided to go be where she knew she could find God!!! The Lord has visited Judah and had released the famine. Naomi made a decision to return to her people, her God, at a place where she knew she could find His provisions.<br />
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Today, I want to ask you a similar question... do you need to get up and go back to where you know you can find not only His provisions for your life - but God Himself?! If so... pack your bags and do not delay!!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 3 - Weeping Forward</u></b></div><br />
Don't you just love chick-flicks?! They allow us women to cry without guilt! I love a good tear-jerker movie! And we get to see the waterworks here in Ruth 1:7-14. (go read it again if you want!)<br />
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Naomi just wants to get home - to her people and she tried four different times to urge her daughters-in-law to go back to Moab. It's interesting that she doesn't urge them to stay in Moab - rather they immediately go with her and later Naomi wants to send them back! <br />
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And eventually Orpah decides to go back home to Moab while Ruth decides to travel on with Naomi. I learned a new phrase in this day of study - weeping forward. Orpah wept and went back to her old life. Ruth wept and moved forward to a new life. <br />
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I'm sure we've all wept over our past life and probably even continued in that very life that made us cry... but have you ever wept forward? Discuss this with us! This is usually a positive thing!!<br />
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I love the very last sentence on this day, "It's possible to cry and walk." Don't let your tears keep you from moving forward!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 4 - A Long Obedience</u></b></div><br />
I have to admit something personal here... the study from this day has helped me in my morning exercise program. Kelly talked about a "sustained obedience." Four times Naomi tried to persuade her daughters-in-law to go home, to turn around and go back where they came from! And finally... Orpah gave in and Ruth pushed forward. Ruth dodged every bullet coming from Naomi and was persistent! You can almost here the determination in her voice in Ruth 1:16, "Don't urge me to leave you or turn back from following you."<br />
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To put this in modern day language it might sound something like this..."Enough already with the "returning" I'm going with you and that's that!"<br />
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Oh to have that kind of persistent determination about doing what God has told us to do! I want to ask you today - do you have sustained obedience or spotty obedience?<br />
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I realized this morning that I have spotty obedience when it comes to running every morning. So today, even though my iPod needed to be charged up - I went and ran. I thought about running in a sustained manner as well! And I love the freedom I felt as I got on the scales upon my return.<br />
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Kelly says this on page 26 of your workbook, "when we grasp His love and the truth that obedience is for our freedom, we will change our circumstances to protect our environment to obey."<br />
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Do you need to change your circumstances so you can find freedom in your obedience?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 5 - Wherever you go</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>AH! Ruth's voice... finally! Read Ruth 1:16-17<br />
This is the first time we really get to hear from Ruth. I love hearing her strength - right from the get go!<br />
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Ruth was honest and yet kind, persistent and loyal all at the same time. What we say outloud has amazing power. Our words can bring both life and death to someone's spirit.<br />
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Kelly took us on a journey of our own on this day regarding what we say, how we say it and when we say it!<br />
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Just for review - here were the verses: Proverbs 16:23-24, Proverbs 18:13, Proverbs 25:11, Proverbs 27:5-6<br />
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Which one spoke to you the most and why?<br />
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Mine was Proverbs 25:11. "Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances". Wow! I need to mindful of the timing of what comes out of my mouth!!!<br />
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Kelly says this on page 29, "Lack of honest communication has to be one of the ultimate destroyers of relationships, while learning the quality of gracious but bold speech can be a balm in bitter and complicated situations."<br />
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Do you need to have an honest conversation with someone today? If so, be bold, like Ruth - and yet gracious and healing in the words that you choose.<br />
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My charge for you today is this - Love God's people! Ruth did. She loved His people so much that she wanted to stay with Naomi and make her home with her mother-in-law wherever that took her! Make your home with God's people and love them!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this first Session!</u></b></div><br />
To end our local time together we listened to Kelly's song "Wherever You Go". Follow along in your book on page 31 and let God speak to your heart with this modern day version of Ruth 1:16. Keep in mind that the context of this verse was pain and sadness and yet filled with determination & loyalty!<br />
<object height="292" width="375"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9x2Ei1bT8RA?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9x2Ei1bT8RA?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="375" height="292"></embed></object>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-50524128603792125392010-09-02T06:55:00.000-05:002010-09-02T06:55:23.984-05:00Week 1 - Introduction<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">I am so thrilled that you have decided to be a part of the wonderful Ladies Bible Study.</span></b> I that if you give God the opportunity, He is going to show you some amazing things about Himself, about you and about His plan for your life. Yes, all that can happen through the 4 very small chapters of Ruth.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">So how will this work exactly?</span> I hope that you have your book right beside you! If you do... I would like to "introduce you to your book." (don't you just love new books and the promise that they bring!)<br />
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This book/study has 6 sessions. Within each session, there are 5 assignments, which are separated out into "days." Please feel free to work through these daily assignments at your leisure - whatever best fits your schedule. Of course I would recommend that you fit the assignments into one week. Not only because that is how we are going through the study here locally - but you will more than likely stick with this study and get the most out of it if you put yourself on a disciplined schedule.<br />
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Here, online, we will address some of the discussion questions that are found throughout the book. Please feel free to truly "voice" your thoughts and the things that God tells you and shows you within the pages of this book! Make this book PERSONAL! I do this often and am constantly amazed at what I learn, when my pen begins to write!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Now turn to page 31</span>. Kelly Minter has written an entire album to go along with this study! You can find the music at iTunes or you can purchase a CD at the same place you found the book. I would highly encourage you to get this! Your spirit is going to truly be touched when you hear the music that matches Ruth's journey.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Now turn to page 32-33</span> - RECIPES!!! Yummy! If you're doing this study with a group (in your location) you might consider making these meals together! Cooking and eating together brings a whole new level to bonding and relating. I wish we could do this in our local group - but space, location, and schedule are not allowing us to do so. However... all in one book we get Jesus and recipes - you can't get much better than that!!!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>So with ALL that said.... now let me introduce you to Ruth. </b></span></div><br />
I'm curious, before we reference the book... how much you know about this girl? Yes, she was a real person in the Bible! Her story is truly amazing. I hope you have your Bible right beside your computer! If so, please turn to the book of Ruth.<br />
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Find it? Don't worry if you had to use the Table of Contents! It's a great story - but a small one. She's tucked away in between Judges and 1 Samuel. If you're not really looking for it - you'll probably miss it and skip right over it as you're turning the pages of your Bible.<br />
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I want to share with you a little commentary I found in my own Bible about her story.<br />
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<b><i>(yes, this was originally recorded via video - but at the time we're having some technical difficulties... I promise to have those resolved for the next session)</i></b><br />
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Listen to Introduction to Ruth<br />
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Okay... we're almost done for today...<br />
I want you to read pages 6 & 7 of your book. I want you to know go back to the first paragraph on page 7 and circle every description of Ruth that relates in some way to your life.<br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Have you...</span></b><br />
longed to be loved?<br />
been devastated by loss?<br />
struggled as a stranger?<br />
lived with bitterness?<br />
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You see ladies, once we can connect on a personal level with the people in the Bible, we can come to an understanding that our Bibles are more than just history books - but that it is <b><u>a book about ourselves and how and Almighty God loves us very much!</u></b><br />
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I hope you've been encouraged by Ruth's history so far! I want you to know from the beginning... her story ends well and yours can too when we walk with God!<br />
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In our local group, we concluded our time together in prayer and asked that God would show us something special in this study. We then watched the following video of Kelly. <br />
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I'll see ya next week!Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-44199468244682064162010-08-31T12:42:00.007-05:002010-08-31T13:37:53.733-05:00WELCOME TO OUR NEW STUDY!<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Welcome Everyone!</span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">I'm so excited about our brand new online Bible Study! For the next 6-7 weeks we'll be studying <b><u>RUTH</u></b>, by Kelly Minter. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">If you're wondering if this study is for you... let me say a resounding YES IT IS!! Why would I make such a definitive statement, when I may not even know you? Well, for starters doing a Bible study online is super convenient. You can log onto this very site anytime that best fits your schedule. And follow publically (by clicking the FOLLOW button on the right) or privately. You can leave comments below each weekly lesson to let us all know how the study is impacting your walk with Christ - or you can just read what others are saying and grow & learn from them.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">You are in the driver's seat with this study! You don't have to worry about making it on time to a local study, struggling with childcare or even finding a place to park! You can log on during the day or in the middle of the night. You can be in your pj's or all dressed up for the day. It makes no difference.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">We have added a new feature to the Online Bible Study this time! It is a feature that I am REALLY excited about and nervous all at the same time... it's VIDEO!!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">With each weekly session (or blog post) you will find a summary of the week's lessons along with questions and commentary from myself. In addition to both of these - we will provide a video! </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">The beginning of the video will be a small intro to the session as well as a few discussion questions that you can answer on your own - or that you can discuss with your own small group!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">If you're wanting to feel like you're a part of our local group that meets weekly... the video will continue and you can watch and listen to the group discussion that meets locally in New Orleans each week. Neat huh? Kind of a menu of options... summary, thought provoking questions, small 5-10 minute video, and/or 1.5 hour Bible Study session in its entirety. You can pick and choose what best fits your schedule, mood, and learning style.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">I hope you enjoy this! Either way - leave a comment for me or send me an email - letting me know you're going to be a part of this RUTH study - so I can be praying for you on this new journey through God's Word.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><u>Okay - so what are the EXACT DETAILS?</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">We'll be starting locally tomorrow, September 1st. Each Wednesday night the new video and session will be posted on this site. So feel free to start with us this week - Thursday, September 2nd. However... you're never behind - because it's all online!!! So feel free to start whenever you get your book - whenever it best fits your schedule!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><u>How do I get the book?</u></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">You can get it at most Christian book stores. I got mine at <a href="http://www.lifeway.com/product/005189427/">LifeWay</a>. However, you can also click on the link on the right to order directly from <a href="http://kellyminter.bigcartel.com/">Kelly Minter</a>. Enjoy!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">In the mean time... enjoy some of Kelly's music she wrote just for this study!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL9_O9pBEBe7LIUtU0UnrfO6fR6hVRBgQMol2JXCX4CvCBFiECUZ-5p4FWUkqKoqHeKO-okdnekCCJ_II0VHHUAV2qxt1Lvfbf4w-XRy40omPZpCIj-jxdtU7gvhCWPCJtrhyphenhyphenlaKPX3OoS/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-width: 0px !important; border-color: initial !important; border-left-width: 0px !important; border-right-width: 0px !important; border-style: initial !important; border-top-width: 0px !important;" /></a>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-86012167920310540862010-08-02T16:35:00.000-05:002010-08-02T16:35:10.686-05:00Chapter 15: Jehovah-raah - The Lord my Shepherd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQ0ytUvsBUxSF0KlRM1yag93BKJEx3RVrEtUq6oaMD3gNlWx5nUiIc8c81ZSyEK7H7jlxF0kx9GMhEUcLs-p1xx04Zf2A0d3HEmEdgh7uOQw9d8PLoixiYHGB5VpEa_EXj40ZKmUJMHzN/s1600/shepherd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQ0ytUvsBUxSF0KlRM1yag93BKJEx3RVrEtUq6oaMD3gNlWx5nUiIc8c81ZSyEK7H7jlxF0kx9GMhEUcLs-p1xx04Zf2A0d3HEmEdgh7uOQw9d8PLoixiYHGB5VpEa_EXj40ZKmUJMHzN/s200/shepherd.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Calls them by name & leads them! This is the job of a shepherd. I don't know about you, but with every name of God that we study I think, "this one is my favorite!" And then we turn the page and I think this all over again!<br />
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In Chapter 15 we learned about <b>Jehovah-raah - the Lord my Shepherd.</b><br />
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Before we get started I want to ask you a question... <i><b>"Do you follow or listen to strangers?" </b></i> I know it seems like an odd question now - but just put it on the side burner and we'll address it again in a moment. <br />
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Have you ever pictured yourself as a sheep - needing a shepherd? If not, I hope this chapter did not insult you. If you have, then you probably found a lot of comfort knowing all the things that our Shepherd - our Jehovah-raah does for us!!!<br />
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Kay uses 2 focal passages for our study on Jehovah-raah. <br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Psalm 23</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. John 10:1-17, 26-33</div><br />
I want to encourage you to go and read them both now before continuing on - even for this blog study!<br />
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From the very beginning of Psalm 23 - starting in verse 1, we see Jehovah-raah.<br />
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</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfQGPZhc1qxcbzYXMK0x5Zf3crpBf9miEsEVdtxUfDu2MxXz0OigpA1D8QhAWLG2mypTKE_g58cRatMLoMrqAphS_bQlPBdtuufwagocHfGZnpHTtlb88bqmq36P7ADFLloKQ4BqG6LQ2/s1600/sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrfQGPZhc1qxcbzYXMK0x5Zf3crpBf9miEsEVdtxUfDu2MxXz0OigpA1D8QhAWLG2mypTKE_g58cRatMLoMrqAphS_bQlPBdtuufwagocHfGZnpHTtlb88bqmq36P7ADFLloKQ4BqG6LQ2/s200/sheep.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
My friends - we are the sheep and the Lord is our Shepherd. "What makes the difference in sheep is the shepherd" - says Kay.<br />
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We're going to spend some more time with Psalm 23 in a moment, but for now turn to the John passage - John 10.<br />
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Kay had us mark key words - we had to do this on our own! Yikes! So which words did you mark?<br />
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I marked the following: door, sheep/flock, voice, thief/robber, shepherd<br />
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I loved learning about all of these. Make a list of all that you learned about these different characters.<br />
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Here are some of my favorites:<br />
The Shepherd - calls my name, leads me out, sacrifices His life for me<br />
The Sheep - knows the shepherd's voice, follows the shepherd, will NOT follow a stranger and actually flees from him.<br />
The thief/robber - does things their own way, comes only to steal, kill, and destroy<br />
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I love that my Lord knows my name - calls me and leads me!! But He does so much more than that! Let's read on....<br />
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Kay showed us that found in Psalm 23 are all the things that a Shepherd will do. There are many of them found here - but let's just focus on the first one - He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.<br />
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Oh, to take a nap in a green pasture! I can picture it now. But I wonder, if given the opportunity, would I really be able to rest. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Have you ever gone to bed and not been able to sleep because your mind was racing - or worrying?</b></i></div><br />
Kay points out that there are four things that must be true before a sheep can rest....<br />
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</b></div><b><span style="color: blue;">1. Sheep must be free from hunger.</span></b> The Shepherd must provide good pastures for them.<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">2. Sheep must be free from fear.</span></b> Sheep are timid and defenseless - they can only rest if they know they are being protected.<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">3. Sheep must be free from friction.</span></b> Tension with other sheep keeps them on their feet.<br />
<b><span style="color: blue;">4. Sheep must be free from pests.</span></b> Flies can get inside a sheep's nose and can ultimately cause their death if not cleaned and protected by the Shepherd's oil.<br />
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I hope that you see the benefit of calling the Lord your Jehovah-raah. That He is a God who feeds you, protects you, helps you handle the points of friction in your life, and heals you of your sores and pests.<br />
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The best news of all regarding Jehovah-raah is found in Psalm 23:6<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."</b></i></div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-26427775330639087802010-08-02T14:46:00.000-05:002010-08-02T14:46:54.947-05:00Chapter 14: Jehovah-sabaoth - The Lord of Hosts"My friend, if you come to the end of your strength and need deliverance, you might seek refuge in a place that seems unnatural to you. You might turn to...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3GlexWR1i2MKUxfAXazRXneLSXxeGtxKNOmdOY0-pgOItLw7XMuc1xDfbDmobph4HLv-mK11LDyC-qIYRDbkNguK_2Y9mEaol8nhNrSgUlKFhxq2o3Fy-Wgl-VTKjpeuAlZWSYX5pRS2/s1600/david+and+goliath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi3GlexWR1i2MKUxfAXazRXneLSXxeGtxKNOmdOY0-pgOItLw7XMuc1xDfbDmobph4HLv-mK11LDyC-qIYRDbkNguK_2Y9mEaol8nhNrSgUlKFhxq2o3Fy-Wgl-VTKjpeuAlZWSYX5pRS2/s200/david+and+goliath.jpg" width="149" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jehovah-sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts!</b>"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">This is a quote from Kay on the first page of this new chapter. I couldn't think of a better way to say it myself. Thanks Kay!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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Okay, I did a little extra research on this particular Name of God. I didn't want it to get lost in a sea of all the others that we've been learning. I'm so glad I did and I can't wait to share what I learned with you!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I looked up what <i><b>"hosts"</b></i> means and the Hebrew word for hosts is "Tsaba" - meaning, <b>armies, or warfare</b>. So what we're talking about here is the Lord over the armies! I even wrote in my Bible <i style="color: blue;">God is my Warrior</i>!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Are you in need of a warrior for your circumstances? Stop and think for a moment <i>(or perhaps it's ever before you and you don't have to "stop" and think)</i> - What is your war? What is your current battle? Could you use someone leading the charge to victory in that battle?! I know I sure could - and we find that "someone" in <b>Jehovah-sabaoth</b>!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdJHVh_FklHu2O5jgMFcebyqNoVOnTIlrpYBJ4zuqcAagPjF2AaEPdNzg0OsI64KVJIySHT1yXHwc_TAHuGSuzioG-yUbZDM-VGzeAQnUhs-ap1T4kWD0EmDyQeddIdpnd05ZhHF_Vzya/s1600/jehovah+sabaoth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdJHVh_FklHu2O5jgMFcebyqNoVOnTIlrpYBJ4zuqcAagPjF2AaEPdNzg0OsI64KVJIySHT1yXHwc_TAHuGSuzioG-yUbZDM-VGzeAQnUhs-ap1T4kWD0EmDyQeddIdpnd05ZhHF_Vzya/s320/jehovah+sabaoth.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>He is Lord over Armies!</b> I like that I can find a military name for my God - especially since I know I'm at war with this world!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I love how Kay further describes this character of God. It is not a name for you to call upon if you have given up and no longer want to fight! Rather it is the name of God you call upon when you feel like failure is imminent and you are desperate for deliverance! "This is the name for those who find their resources inadequate in the midst of a struggle", says Kay.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(just another little extra - if you have an NIV Bible and do not find "Lord of Hosts" in the scriptures we're about to read - this translation has replaced Hosts with Almighty)</i></span> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So where do we first see Jehovah-sabaoth in the scriptures? 1 Samuel 1:1-11. Go and read this passage. We see Hannah crying out to Jehovah-sabaoth when she was desperate for a child. She was at the end of her emotional rope of taking the abuse from Peninnah and she went to the Lord of hosts! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Another time that we see Jehovah-sabaoth is with David. Aren't you glad?! David fought many battles - I, for one, am glad to to know that he called on the Lord of the armies - aren't you?!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 Samuel 17:42-47. Read the entire passage - but the verse I want us to focus on is verse 45.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ouch! Little young David has brought the big daddy of the army to this one-on-one fight. The sword, the spear, and the javelin and being a giant - doesn't even stand a chance!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>What giant holding a sword, spear, and javelin are you facing today? </b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Call on Jehovah-sabaoth!! And He will rescue you!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I can think of no better verse to end this chapter than Zechariah 4:6</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Then he answered and said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might, nor by power, but my My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When you are at the end of your resources in whatever battle you're facing - say this verse! Not by might, not by power, sword, spear, or javelin - but by Jehovah-sabaoth!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">As my Husband & army Dad would say... <span style="font-size: large;">Hoo-Ah!</span></div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-39304452143194214142010-08-02T12:24:00.000-05:002010-08-02T12:24:57.831-05:00Chapter 13: Jehovah-shalom - The Lord is Peace<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWo_6PSGN3y_VB0CCC7VB-6YEHonIMatzzThryFnNFZ6wtMhZUhSYQBapCOETiR88cDwzeMOTUV9xlSlSJ1Yt-V10CXptyZ3rJ00Y9aTWe_MwKDRuozBi6VcleRyFfbMO1oXmpmyroCgm/s1600/moment+of+peace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJWo_6PSGN3y_VB0CCC7VB-6YEHonIMatzzThryFnNFZ6wtMhZUhSYQBapCOETiR88cDwzeMOTUV9xlSlSJ1Yt-V10CXptyZ3rJ00Y9aTWe_MwKDRuozBi6VcleRyFfbMO1oXmpmyroCgm/s200/moment+of+peace.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Peace. How often do we pray for just a moment of peace, to have peace in our decisions, to have peace in our homes? This is what this chapter is all about!<br />
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In this chapter of the book, Kay leads us to some incredible verses that show us exactly how to find the peace that we've always wanted.<br />
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Read to get started? I know you'll be saying, "Ahhhhh....." by the time we get to know this name of God!<br />
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The Lord is Peace - Jehovah-shalom - we first see this name of God used in scripture with Gideon in the book of Judges. I love Gideon! He is not a giant nor does he run with a big strong army. But with God he leads many victories!<br />
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Here in Judges 6 - we find Gideon being visited by the angel of the Lord. Gideon was very troubled at the time with his current situation. In fact, listen to this verse and see if you haven't said this same thing to God at one time or another...<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Judges 6:13 - 'Then Gideon said to him, O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying 'Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian."</b></i></div><br />
Because of Midian - Gideon and his people had no peace. Midian has stolen their peace - so to speak.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who has stolen your peace? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you wondering if you can get it back? </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="color: blue;">YES YOU CAN!</b><span style="color: blue;"> </span> <i>(read on to see how)</i></div><br />
I love this quote from Kay,<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"When the hour is dark and the situation desperate, we finally long for God's peace. Then we crave it. Our sanity depends on it. Fear grips up. We grope through the darkness, longing for peace's reassurance that everything will be all right."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">When Gideon realized that he had seen the angel of the Lord - face to face - fear gripped him. He was afraid that he must die because of this!!! And then the Lord says this...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Peace to you, do not fear; you shall not die." </b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace" (Judges 6:23-24)</b></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWFGliOg5U2ua8OJCwG25yq1lJ6UKe-AmqK0DkEl9Y6bqivJ3nI7Npidw4aOKqSPskAXtj4QKRFAVkDr3a73WgXq7rYpHV0kqCGW7D_dmD_2k8jgbJVWEqXB3V8Ps1vxObSWRLjs7xPON/s1600/shalom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaWFGliOg5U2ua8OJCwG25yq1lJ6UKe-AmqK0DkEl9Y6bqivJ3nI7Npidw4aOKqSPskAXtj4QKRFAVkDr3a73WgXq7rYpHV0kqCGW7D_dmD_2k8jgbJVWEqXB3V8Ps1vxObSWRLjs7xPON/s200/shalom.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We can experience <b>true peace </b>when we are in a right relationship with God and God alone.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, so if peace comes from a relationship with God - what exactly do I need to do to maintain a right relationship with God? Kay, gives us several verses to look up and read. We can learn many things about peace & it's connection to relating to God. Let's take a look at just a few.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Leviticus 26:2-6 - Go and read this passage. My favorite part of this passage is this.."I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wow! Wouldn't it be nice not to "tremble" over the fears in our lives?!!! Peace comes from God and He will remove the danger so that we can truly experience His peace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 26:3 - You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay - so we can experience peace when we keep our mind focused on the Lord AND trusting in Him alone. Trust & focused attention brings about peace.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay just two more....</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Psalm 119:165 - Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you have a love for God's commandments? If so - you will have great peace. I don't know about you - but I don't want just a little peace - I want GREAT PEACE!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Finally - I want to close with Philippians 4:8-9. I have an exercise for you to do after you read it through at least once.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in Me, practice these things; and the God of peace will be with you."</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, I want you to make a list with the following words: TRUE, HONORABLE, RIGHT, PURE, LOVELY, GOOD REPUTE <i>(good reputation). </i>Now.... go back and write something from you life that describes these words. (For example: beside PURE - I wrote down the love of my little boy).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b> </b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">Got something beside every word? Good. Now let your mind dwell on these things! Not on the worries of this world - but on these things!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now make a second list with the following words: LEARNED, RECEIVED, HEARD, SEEN. And do the same. Write something that you have seen in the Lord beside each word. (For example: I wrote redemption beside RECEIVED).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Got something for every word? Good - now practice these things! And when you dwell and practice all that you've written down... the God of peace will be with you!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">No matter who or what has stolen your peace - you can get it back! Trust in the Lord, practice & dwell on Him and He will give you peace that surpasses all understanding! (Philippians 4:4-7)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-48188005280659546692010-07-27T13:54:00.000-05:002010-07-27T13:54:01.560-05:00Chapter 11: Jehovah-nissi - The Lord My Banner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsWOZbhQsM60qjpWRFLwzdxY5h06J_Tzp0lppumLmFb6MjgI3wLrExtKhJht0IQupLnvTzEKR5jVJ2vJ67-79vmStYAMeEp5DLckqDItB7YRaMv_qs8qySdr-S_nWQFk72y3XMQcNMRnO/s1600/nissi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsWOZbhQsM60qjpWRFLwzdxY5h06J_Tzp0lppumLmFb6MjgI3wLrExtKhJht0IQupLnvTzEKR5jVJ2vJ67-79vmStYAMeEp5DLckqDItB7YRaMv_qs8qySdr-S_nWQFk72y3XMQcNMRnO/s200/nissi.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I love a good game! I love to sit in the stands with my team's jersey on, popcorn in hand and ready to scream (from either the stands or my couch) my team on to victory!<br />
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However, this next name of God does not allow us to scream from the cheap seats... we are to join in the fight. You may be asking, "how in the world is this good news?" The Good News is that we don't have to fight alone!<br />
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Jehovah-nissi means The Lord My Banner.<br />
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And we first see the use of this name for God in Exodus 17, when Moses and the children of Israel came upon the Amelekites. If you haven't taken the time to read - go and read this incredible story. It's found in Exodus 17:8-16.<br />
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<i><b>Here's a quick summary:</b></i><br />
The children of Israel are making their way to the Promised Land and the Amelekites showed up a Rephidim to fight them. Moses told Joshua to go and fight them and he went to the mountain with his staff - his rod. When Moses held his staff up to God, the Israelites prevailed, when he got tired and lowered his staff, the Amelekites prevailed! So Aaron & Hur helped to hold up or support Moses's hands and as a result Joshua overwhelmed the Amalekites!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Moses built an altar and named it The Lord is My Banner.</b></span></div><br />
There is so much we can learn from this passage and this name of God. The main thing to take home from this chapter is that we can attain victory over our enemy!<br />
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Who or what are you battling today? Who or what is your enemy?<br />
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Before I get too far into the lessons from this chapter I want you to have a proper visual of the banner.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN3s1a3ROzNldA9_42ha36anqRigcDBIjC4O625rsa94c15dObvuviraFqTfEG2vsDV0e5aj80DNYAcaN7f7nGFWvyunxBWEP7PV8Tsbgs-_N3MH7IlBvfqG1RZxB2ilAGLeWywwslokr/s1600/staff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZN3s1a3ROzNldA9_42ha36anqRigcDBIjC4O625rsa94c15dObvuviraFqTfEG2vsDV0e5aj80DNYAcaN7f7nGFWvyunxBWEP7PV8Tsbgs-_N3MH7IlBvfqG1RZxB2ilAGLeWywwslokr/s200/staff.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>In the translated meaning of banner is "<i><b>to glisten</b></i>". Today when we think of a battle banner, we get an image of a flag of some sort. However, Moses's banner was more like a staff with a metal object near the top and it would catch the sun's rays and glisten. It would be like a beacon to the warriors to let them know where the battle lines were. Where safety could be found. It was a rallying point. <br />
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Do you need to see those lines today? Have you lost where the rally point is with your God?<br />
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Most of the times, our greatest enemy is our flesh. Kay, in this chapter, compares Amelek to our flesh. Ladies... we must first recognize that we are in a battle. We are battling the ways of our flesh against the ways of our Lord. And when we give in to flesh we will only find sorrow.<br />
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We learned from this chapter that originally Saul was commanded by God to destroy the Amelekites. He did not completely obey this command and later he was killed by them. Oh! If only he had fully obeyed! Instead he made excuses and tried to prove that he did something better than what God asked of him. <br />
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Don't we do that too! So often we try to convince God that our way is better - only to have to suffer later as a result of our pride and selfishness.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9oLw5JwkoMcb-Du4f2Db-jOSIJlurHGWiV0MdAcdBHaW33q5uuU4t2Dpz9NjnY9yAyuNHr89zYmJjYlvNUNIn-i580U_6lGW20Q37U639f0iKfXjHU4B7fTnB5tZ4pJlZoZy8gXdnGg2/s1600/jehovah+nissi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid9oLw5JwkoMcb-Du4f2Db-jOSIJlurHGWiV0MdAcdBHaW33q5uuU4t2Dpz9NjnY9yAyuNHr89zYmJjYlvNUNIn-i580U_6lGW20Q37U639f0iKfXjHU4B7fTnB5tZ4pJlZoZy8gXdnGg2/s320/jehovah+nissi.jpg" /></a></div>I love this quote from Kay, "Under the banner of God, victory is always assured; but apart from it, defeat is a certainty. You can't do battle against the flesh under your own power."<br />
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Remember as long as Moses held up his staff - the Israelites prevailed - when he dropped it - the enemy got a stronghold. We must look to God for our victory - we must look for His glistening banner!<br />
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I want to ask you today...<br />
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</b></i><br />
<i><b> What is your Amelek? And do you need to put it to death?</b></i><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Deuteronomy 20:3-4</b> says, </div><div style="text-align: center;">"Hear, O Israel, you are approaching the battle against your enemies today. Do no be fainthearted. Do not be afraid, or panic, or tremble before them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."</div><br />
We are in a battle - so suit up!<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ephesians 6:11</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.</div><br />
And then watch the victory come to pass...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Romans 8:37</b> </div><div style="text-align: center;">But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.</div><br />
<b><i>Let me tell you a little secret - a spoiler alert that I know you won't mind hearing...</i></b><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Yes, we're in a battle </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">but</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>WE WIN!!!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">So today, call out to your Jehovah-nissi - find his staff glistening in the sun and get behind Him. Let Him lead you to victory!!!</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-22749180089072521272010-07-26T16:13:00.000-05:002010-07-26T16:13:31.755-05:00Chapter 10: Pausing for a Momentary Summary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWekf0jYFht45zixOR6qax0Pl0U_1zpq9SBJEdou5TTBP5vn0rE0Sts5JC1GEKOgEUe4fasHmXiKeUiY1f70DHUGl99UJYiekUK6D9YGL78vb_XDLvChC-IEGPAj3J6NoN1vHqAUlPZkYd/s1600/rock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWekf0jYFht45zixOR6qax0Pl0U_1zpq9SBJEdou5TTBP5vn0rE0Sts5JC1GEKOgEUe4fasHmXiKeUiY1f70DHUGl99UJYiekUK6D9YGL78vb_XDLvChC-IEGPAj3J6NoN1vHqAUlPZkYd/s200/rock.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Chapter 10 - Wow! You're doing so well! I think it's time for a break and allow our brain to really take in all that we've learned about the many names of God.<br />
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So - let's review the names that we've covered so far...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Elohim - Creator</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>El Elyon - God Most High</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>El Roi - The God Who Sees</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>El Shaddai - The All-Sufficient One</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Adonai - Lord/Master</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jehovah/Yahweh - LORD</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jehovah-jireh - The God Who Provides</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Jehovah-rapha - The God Who Heals</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Very Good!!! Hopefully as you did this review in your workbook you were able to remember their meanings without looking back in your book. It's certainly okay if you had to flip a few pages - I sure did - but it only helps us in our prayers to really know them from our heart!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The next part of this chapter was really a neat experience. I hope you really took the time to do it. In fact, I almost skipped it and even thought about calling the local ladies to tell them to skip it too! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!</b> It was so good - if you haven't completed it - take the time now. Come back when you've finished.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>See... wasn't it good?!</b></i> Kay had us take Exodus 17: 1-16 and really analyze it to the fullest.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
She had us give the Chapter a Title and had us mark a Key Verse.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm curious... <b>What was your Title and Verse?</b> Okay, I'll be vulnerable with you - here's mine. And this is what I wrote down before I saw her guidelines for titles and verses (so they may not be very accurate). <i><b> Love me anyway? I hope so!</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_Bgeio27uAvbh6UgvETGQlZW4r6GMzvDDyb6rCL_D8ARXD8TiSOA1IlTjFVlxFWNzWKjEsyIFk5DiMJNCu9C2jc-AVGWVuCc5BDy7zC1vAfnxdiYpgH8dlFKdn1ZPKMpDnVwVs5XFRaY/s1600/moseswater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_Bgeio27uAvbh6UgvETGQlZW4r6GMzvDDyb6rCL_D8ARXD8TiSOA1IlTjFVlxFWNzWKjEsyIFk5DiMJNCu9C2jc-AVGWVuCc5BDy7zC1vAfnxdiYpgH8dlFKdn1ZPKMpDnVwVs5XFRaY/s200/moseswater.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>My Title: </b> <i>Israel Gets Water & Fights</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<b>My Verse:</b> v15: <i>And Moses built an altar, and named it The Lord is My Banner;</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now that wasn't so hard was it? Oh! And what about the key word - what did you choose for that? Okay here I go again, making myself vulnerable - mine were: water (and any water related words), rock, fight/fought, Amalek, and hand</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Then Kay had us answer the <b>Who, What, When, Why, Where, & How</b> questions from this passage. I learned so much just from digging out the answers for myself. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The majority of what was learned from this chapter was found in the quiet time of reading and analyzing the scripture for yourself. Isn't this a great way to study God's Word?!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The one thing I will leave you with that I thought was really fascinating about this passage was the rock question at the end of the chapter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">God told Moses to strike the rock and water would come out of it. Can you think of another rock that was struck? 1 Corinthians 10:4, "and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them, and the rock was Christ."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ladies - our Rock, Jesus Christ, offers us Living Water. He was struck and beaten for us - to bring us Healing and to allow us to stand under His Banner! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>I can't wait for Chapter 11 - Jehovah-nissi - The Lord My Banner</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Comments: Please share with me what your title, verse, key words, and something interesting you learned from asking the W questions!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I love you all dearly and am amazed at your faithfulness in this study!</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-61642672181776848812010-07-20T11:45:00.000-05:002010-07-20T11:48:04.945-05:00Chapter 8: Jehovah Jireh - The Lord Will ProvideWow! Chapter 8! Can you believe it?! We're halfway through the book, <i><b>Lord, I Want To Know You</b></i>.<br />
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I am super duper proud of you! I don't know if you're attending the local study and you're using the blog as your "Cliff Notes" for your prep time - or if you're somewhere in your house, with your cup of coffee in your pj's nice and cozy near your computer - but either way... I'm so glad you've stuck with it this far!<br />
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It's been a great study! But it just keeps getting better! If you've found this page today and you're wondering - "Did I miss it?" or "I wish I could have found this sooner - it's too late now." I'm here to encourage you to just start here and follow us from here on out! We're really about to enter into some of my favorite Names of God. And perhaps, God led you here at this very moment - just for you!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh348fgk9IqnJnj82YvIACZpLg31zOZMUq6hTeHXPYza-mFFNDuHz-ipFhDsLZdhou6hCAuY7sjEGv3Lz16tw9Jp6HaI3cZNKSB9-ZmsVY2XgCf37DnWJ_66lG-ZZCJ-QVasQ3XbtxZdjzM/s1600/Jehova-Jireh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh348fgk9IqnJnj82YvIACZpLg31zOZMUq6hTeHXPYza-mFFNDuHz-ipFhDsLZdhou6hCAuY7sjEGv3Lz16tw9Jp6HaI3cZNKSB9-ZmsVY2XgCf37DnWJ_66lG-ZZCJ-QVasQ3XbtxZdjzM/s200/Jehova-Jireh.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>In this chapter we're studying <b>The God Who Provides - Jehovah Jireh.</b><br />
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Okay, if you know me - you know I LOVE to study the words from the original manuscript - what words were actually used before we applied our English translations & understandings to them?<br />
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In Chapter 7 we studied Jehovah (okay, so if you're new - back up just one lesson/chapter and look at Jehovah).<br />
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We're about to enter a group of names that are actually compound words. That's exactly what Jehovah Jireh is - a compound name. Now why in the world would God need to add to His name. Isn't His name alone enough? Sure it is! But it's also in the very character - the nature - of our God to extend Himself - to reach out beyond Himself.<br />
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Do you have areas in your life where you are desperate for God to reach out beyond? I do. Take a moment right know and cry those out to Him. He already knows them - but it will do your spirit good to actually talk to God about them.<br />
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Actually before we get started I want to ask you 2 questions. Think about them as we go through this chapter and we'll answer them together at the end.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>What are your greatest needs? Where are you needing some BIG TIME provisions?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(sorry, that's really all one question)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What is most precious to you? What can you NOT live without?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Man! Can I not ask just 1 simple question? Sorry!)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay - back to the word study...</div><div style="text-align: left;">Jehovah-jireh means "the Lord will provide". Did you know that <i>jireh, </i>in the Old Testament<i>,</i> actually means "to see"? It actually means that He foresees and what He sees, what He foresees, He provides! I love when our English word actually matches Hebrew words. Take a look at our word provision. Did you know this is actually a compound word - pro (beforehand) and vision (to see).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">How cool is this?! In provision we have both seeing beforehand and providing... all in the same word! Just soak this up for a moment! God not only sees where you are now... but He saw before you did and He has a plan for provision already in the works!! We just need to trust that He's got it under control.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Next... it's always important to see where a word is used for the very first time in scripture - it really helps bring meaning and context to the word. The first time we see Jehovah-jireh is with Abraham. It's a very familiar story - Abraham & Isaac going to Mt. Moriah. It's found in Genesis 22:1-19. Take a moment to read through this story.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In the workbook, Kay had us mark every time we read the words love, worship, and obey. I hope you took time to do this. We're going to look in a moment about the significant of these 3 words and even their order!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">From this passage we see that God told Abraham to take Isaac up to the mountain and offer him as a sacrifice. What?! His only son - really?! We don't see Abraham having this kind of conversation with God. He just immediately obeys! Now that is some kind of trust!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ken Hemphill, in his book <i style="color: red;">The Names of God</i>, says this about obedience...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Delayed obedience is immediate disobedience </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>& </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Partial obedience is complete disobedience.</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Wow! I sure have some lessons to learn from Abraham! Have you ever connected your obedience with God's provision? Let that sink in for a moment. God told Abraham to do something. In fact, He told Abraham to give up the one thing he cared for the most - his only son! And as he was worshiping the Lord at the altar, and about to sacrifice his only son - Jehovah-jireh provided another sacrifice - a ram. And it was here that Abraham named the place, "The Lord Will Provide" (Jehovah-jireh).</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">In the passage above - the order of the three words that Kay told us to mark - is: </div><div style="text-align: center;">LOVE WORSHIP OBEY</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Do you have this same kind of order in your life? Love God. Worship Him. And immediately and completely obey Him.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Did you know that God desperately wants to provide for your every need? The big ones and the small ones! I want you to leave this study making the connection between obedience and having your needs provided. So... back to the questions above.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What is most precious to you? In other words, what is <i>your</i> Isaac? It might not be a person. It might be your money - your career - your house - your time. I want to ask you today, are you willing to put it on the altar for the Lord - if He were to ask you? Whew! I know! This is a hard one for me too!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">But if we're following the example of Abraham - God provided for him immediately when he obeyed. I'm here to tell you today that you CAN trust God with your Isaac!!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Now you may be thinking - I can trust God with my eternal destiny - for salvation - but the everyday stuff I still struggle with trust. You know - like will I be able to pay my bills, will I be able to raise my children the right way, will my marriage be healthy forever, so on and so forth - you know the questions that haunt your mind at night!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Look at this: </b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Philippians 4:6-7</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Get to know God as your Jehovah-jireh. He sees & He provides. He provides for your death through salvation in Jesus Christ - AND He provides for your life through your complete surrender and trust in full obedience to Him.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm not saying any of this is easy. I am saying that there are wonderful blessings to experience when we trust and obey - and allow Him to be our Jehovah-jireh!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">One last thing... Ken Hemphill compared God providing for Abraham with a "bottom of the ninth" save in a baseball game. If you waiting for God to provide for you and He hasn't yet... maybe... just maybe it's not the end of the game yet!!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-26191669688795401752010-07-19T12:36:00.000-05:002010-07-19T12:36:34.955-05:00Chapter 7: Jehovah or Yahweh - The Self-Existent One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtY7QoHZTO61mVQ5bH5UaLsoDC4aw4sBtf0R0_ax8KilJUC7jxMIgVxK3wDEJNnsFhZJp5AtAAcm61PfOovHmcuDSj-nwjjN_wbjXGRQfeeCyT-1DKpLu2JNIMEwH6H0JCDigh6srTcoZb/s1600/jehovah.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtY7QoHZTO61mVQ5bH5UaLsoDC4aw4sBtf0R0_ax8KilJUC7jxMIgVxK3wDEJNnsFhZJp5AtAAcm61PfOovHmcuDSj-nwjjN_wbjXGRQfeeCyT-1DKpLu2JNIMEwH6H0JCDigh6srTcoZb/s200/jehovah.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Does God have a proper name? So far we've studied 5 names of God:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Elohim - The Creator</div><div style="text-align: center;">El Elyon - The God Most High</div><div style="text-align: center;">El Roi - The God Who Sees</div><div style="text-align: center;">El Shaddai - The All-Sufficient One</div><div style="text-align: center;">Adonai - Lord or Master</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">But what about just GOD?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">What name do we use for GOD in the proper form?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If we were to put the label of "proper name" on God it would be Yahweh or Jehovah. Jehovah or Yahweh is used 6,823 times in the Bible. In Hebrew is it written with no vowels: YHWH. In fact, the Jews would not even pronounce this name for God for fear they might profane His Holiness.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ken Hemphill, in his book, <i><b>The Names of God</b></i> says, </div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"When they came to YHWH in the text, they would substitute the name Adonai. When the Jewish scholars, called Masoretes, added vowel signs sometime before the tenth century A.D., the vowels from the name Adonai were put together with the letters YHWH (translated as JHVH in German) to create the name Jehovah that we find in our English text."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Jehovah is derived from havah, which means, "to be". Jehovah is the God who is absolutely self-existent. "To be" is at it's essence to have life. He possesses life and permanent existence. HE ALONE!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In our human minds we think in terms of cause and effect. Who created the heavens & the earth? God. Who created God? God has always been and He always will be. I love how Ken Hemphill puts it, "He is the uncaused cause"!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">We first read of Yahweh or Jehovah in Genesis 2:4 - here He is compounded with Elohim.</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><b>Genesis 2:4 (NASB)</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here we see Yahweh Elohim used together. The focal point of our study of Jehovah will be with Moses at the burning bush. Moses asks God what should I say, if they ask me Your name. And God tells Moses to say, "I AM WHO I AM" has sent you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There's something very interesting about the Hebrew breakdown of this Name of God. It is found to be in the imperfect tense. Now that's just a fancy grammar term to mean something that started in the past, it continues into the present, and it's not complete yet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What comfort that already gives me about the nature of Jehovah - He was here before I got here, He's here with me now and He'll continue long after I'm gone. That's a pretty powerful God.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Another truth we can learn about Jehovah is that He is a covenant-keeping God. Jehovah reminds Moses that He is the God of his fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. The people understand at this very moment that their God and His name went with His covenant promise to His people. Jehovah fulfilled the covenant He had made with Abraham regarding the Promised Land. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Jehovah is the promise keeping, unchanging, self-existent God.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">On page 56 of your workbook, Kay says this,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"When you need assurance that God is there, that He will keep His promises without changing - even though you have wavered in your promises to Him - run to your Jehovah. Trust in His name. It can't change because He can't change. He is Jehovah - the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8)."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So how can knowing God as Jehovah, as Yahweh, help us in our everyday - regular life - stuff?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The I AM - Jehovah, Yahweh is our present answer. He was here before, He's here now, and He will be here in the future. He came to Moses in the burning bush to tell him that He was here for his fathers before him, and that He was here for Moses in his present day troubles and that He had a answer for the broken state of affairs of the people of Israel. Therefore, I can take this and apply it to my life!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">He has been God to heroes of the faith before us. He is here for us in 2010, the present, and He can and wants to heal the broken things in our life too. He is actively working in our lives to transform our daily living.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Today, pray to Jehovah - recognize that He is the uncaused cause! He is Self-Existent and does not need us - but desperately wants to be active in our lives! He wants to be the I AM and transform our daily living! Pray that His unchanging character can penetrate into my every changing circumstances!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-64455267527955604362010-07-13T14:07:00.000-05:002010-07-13T14:09:29.517-05:00Chapter 6: Adonai - Lord & MasterI thought I might take a moment before we get to our study on Chapter 6 to explain a few things...<br />
If you're following along and don't see many comments after the chapter summary, please don't take this as a sign that no one is really doing the study!! You are not alone here! In fact, many more ladies are following and doing this study that the names & faces you see to the right of the post!<br />
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In fact, I get comments via Facebook & email all the time regarding what ladies are learning about their God as a result of this Bible study! I think that this particular study becomes very personal rather quickly. And therefore, perhaps women are not as willing to be vulnerable to the world wide web.<br />
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I completely understand this and applaud you for not airing all of your skeletons to strangers. But if you so desire to comment - I welcome them in any way you want to send them. And even if you don't want to comment - that's okay too - as long as your making your comments to the Lord - you're on the right track!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJiwkRa_mQBLAU6b4bCrqv8zpsPq27zAbuUlet1cRRA0liM_Z3RvMEL2dqD6lJijWZ8jp_WjSFaf10sMU0oePrXpb8zy2tHwc3EmB4zg5VcTGyj5Kai0gbZGhOfFlFxYrM80HFwSlrJKv/s1600/Adonai.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMJiwkRa_mQBLAU6b4bCrqv8zpsPq27zAbuUlet1cRRA0liM_Z3RvMEL2dqD6lJijWZ8jp_WjSFaf10sMU0oePrXpb8zy2tHwc3EmB4zg5VcTGyj5Kai0gbZGhOfFlFxYrM80HFwSlrJKv/s200/Adonai.bmp" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now on with Chapter 6 - Adonai</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Before we get too far into this chapter's lesson, I want to ask you two very important questions...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>What are the things that you own?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(don't over spiritualize this - just think about the things in your life that you would attach the word, <i><b>Mine</b></i>, to)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>Do you have any areas in your life where you would say, "Lord, I can't"?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(this could be about places you would go, things you would do, people you would love, etc)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay - hang on to those questions and answers and let them bake in your mind for a bit while we back up and learn a little more about this particular name for God - Adonai.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Whenever you see, "Lord", in scripture (written in exactly like this - capital L, smaller uppercase ord) it means, Adonai, meaning Master or more simply owner. If you see, LORD, (written in all caps) it means God or Yahweh.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The first time we read about Adonai is with Abram - (yes, again with Abram!). Abram is asking God what He will give him since he is still childless. Will He make Eliezer of Damascus his heir?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The interesting thing here is that Eliezer was Abram's bondslave (not a hired slave). A bond servant or slave was far better off than a hired servant because his master provided for his every need!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Dn8VAoZTpW18VZ0OburwdlgNNg_JKIgk7xaz8TB1teCS1Wle0mIbXNJ2SN-HLhfjjo3PArOg9fXeAQ3dMO4LuQXMGU_E0d6wsrI62IWxRFNKOsyaeyG2qp4NvbaQSQJwtKo1GQOevdpy/s1600/Master.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Dn8VAoZTpW18VZ0OburwdlgNNg_JKIgk7xaz8TB1teCS1Wle0mIbXNJ2SN-HLhfjjo3PArOg9fXeAQ3dMO4LuQXMGU_E0d6wsrI62IWxRFNKOsyaeyG2qp4NvbaQSQJwtKo1GQOevdpy/s200/Master.jpg" width="151" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Ladies, as believers, as Christians, we are bondslaves to the Lord. Slave? How in the world could this be a good thing? Well, for one, just as we see with Abram - you are welcomed in as a member of the family and are totally provided for by the Master. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kay then had us read several scriptures where we saw the benefit of having God as our Master.</div><div style="text-align: left;">I've listed them below. Please take a moment to read them (or review them from your personal workbook) and see the benefits and/or responsibilities of living under this kind of authority.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Psalm 89:50-51; Psalm 141:8-10; Psalm 119:125; </b><br />
<b>Judges 6:14-16</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Then we looked at some verses about all that God is Adonai (Master) over:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Deuteronomy 9:26; 1 Kings 2:26; Psalm 2:4; </b><br />
<b>Psalm 8:1, 6-8; Psalm 37:12-13</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I want to specifically draw your attention to Psalm 8:1, 6-8 (just in case you gave up with all the Bible calisthenics)... Here we see that the Lord is ruler, Master, over EVERYTHING! If you listed them out in your workbook you probably wrote down: works of Your hands (which is everything), flocks, herds, beasts, birds, fish. This doesn't leave room for anything to be left out of the Lord's dominion, does it?!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Are you ready to call the Lord, your Master? Are you ready to hand it all over to Him? Because quite frankly, my sweet sisters - He already owns everything that you are currently calling, "<i><b>Mine!</b></i>"</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Go back to the first question that I asked you at the beginning of this session. "What are the things that you own?" Did you know that the Lord, Adonai already owns everything? You are just a steward of what belongs to Him. This includes your house, your car, your washing machine, and yes, even your children! They do not belong to you - they belong to God. And He is allowing you to temporarily take care of them.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><br />
</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b>How does this make you feel?</b></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">In a way, it kind of puts things in a better perspective if you think about it. Ownership is not always what it's cracked up to be. Ownership demands maintenance and repairs and much attention and provision.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Okay, I know that we could stop right here and chew on this information for a while - but there's one more thing I want you to see with Adonai. And it's something that Abram kind of missed when he called the Lord, Adonai. See, Adonai means Master, meaning I am completely submissive to your direction, God. And yet, Abram saw his areas of lacking while trying to call the Lord, Master.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">If your Master is telling you to do something, He is going to provide you with what you need to do the task! Remember when we were saying that a bond servant was treated like a member of the family and the Master had to completely provide for the servant's needs? It is an incompatible statement to say, "Lord (Adonai), I can't do that!" - when He's told you to do it!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Are you submissive or not? Are you allowing Him to be your Master or not? Another incompatible statement is, "Lord, I don't want to!" </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>If He is truly your Lord, your Master, you don't get to put your wants above His instructions and directions for your life!!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Did you know that a Master can demand respect & obedience? This is kind of the nature of "Master". But I want to show you where God addresses this in scripture: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Malachi 1:6</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor?And if I am master, where is My respect?" says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name.</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b> </b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">We are to honor, respect, and obey the Lord as the Master, the owner of our entire life. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I want to end our time together with 3 things that a person who knows God as their Adonai will do:</div><div style="text-align: center;">(this was taken from Ken Hemphill's, The Names of God)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>1. They know God is the owner of their entire life and consider it a privilege to serve Him</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><i> </i>2. They know that their Master will supply everything in order for them to do what He has called them to do.</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="color: blue; text-align: center;"><b>3. They can do whatever God (Adonai) calls them to do. </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(In other words, they never say, "Lord, I can't.")</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I want to close with the Memory Verse that Kay gives us at the end of the chapter. Take a moment and look it up in your own Bible, pray over and make it personal.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Psalm 16:2, I said to the Lord, "Thou art my Lord (Adonai); I have no good besides Thee."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Points of discussion for the Comment Section:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1. How do you feel about God, Adonai, owning EVERYTHING - which includes you, your things, and your family members, and friends?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">2. Have you ever said, "Lord, I can't!" or "Lord, I don't want to?" What were the results of those circumstances?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">3. What kind of comfort does it bring you that as your Adonai, He will supply you will your every need?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">4. Point to ponder - knowing God as your Adonai puts you in a position (bowed down) to actually see Him as your El Shaddai (nourisher, provider, all sufficient). Have you experienced this?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>I'm super proud of your faithfulness to learn and get to know your God!</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Your sis in the faith,</div><div style="text-align: left;">pen</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-60603269901123209512010-07-12T16:13:00.000-05:002010-07-12T16:13:04.406-05:00Chapter 5: El Shaddai - The All-Sufficient One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjdVf9yz84IBbcTn9kPZg9q-l-5IzIhFHPH0424af9cX5TUiYrTqdYpn6iRvsYP6FYWUGPiQtzCKB-OqDDxSm3kuSh249vkjybtKwAj7p1ZnGyX5kK2cfPaExdlE9GFjdCfZ3el9fefy7/s1600/el-shaddai.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTjdVf9yz84IBbcTn9kPZg9q-l-5IzIhFHPH0424af9cX5TUiYrTqdYpn6iRvsYP6FYWUGPiQtzCKB-OqDDxSm3kuSh249vkjybtKwAj7p1ZnGyX5kK2cfPaExdlE9GFjdCfZ3el9fefy7/s200/el-shaddai.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I'm so glad that you decided to open this blog! It is not by accident that you opened a blog or a link about an All-Sufficient God! God has some amazing things to reveal about Himself today in this Chapter Summary on <i><b>El Shaddai - the All-Sufficient God</b></i>. Please be diligent to read to the end of this summary.<br />
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Before we get started - I want to encourage you to read Genesis 17:1-3<br />
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I don't know what trials or experiences you are facing as you read this today - but I would imagine that most of us could say that we have or are facing the impossible!<br />
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Think about this with me for just a moment...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>What will it take to relieve your anxiety?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(we all have areas that keep us from sleeping)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How much is enough?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(enough what? money, security, friends, acceptance, etc)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I want to share with you today - that God is the answer to both of the questions above!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>God is enough. He is sufficient for ALL your needs!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are wonderful promises in the Bible. Like the one found in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Or like Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Can these really be true in your life - or are they just words on a page that sound good. Can they REALLY be true in our lives?! With a resounding YES - I want to scream!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Share with us if you have experienced how God is truly enough and how He can relieve your anxiety.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kay shares with us the Greek meaning of this name for God - El Shaddai. As we have studied in previous chapters the "El" means mighty and powerful. So what about the Shaddai part. It has been widely accepted that Shaddai comes from another Hebrew word - Shad - which means to nourish or supply. As a woman this has an even more personal meaning and/or understanding. The Hebrew word Shad actually means The Pourer or the Shedder forth. It also has a meaning of "breasted".</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
So to put these all together we have a God would supplies all of our nourishment by pouring Himself out for His creatures. He sheds forth His Spirit upon us and actually dwells within us.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">There is nothing more beautiful and comforting knowing that as a baby cries a mother can provide for this little one from her very being! I know it paints a strange picture - but this is where we get "all-sufficient" - He can provide for everything that we may be hungering for and need.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The thing that I want you to understand from this chapter is not only can He provide for our needs - but He provides in situations that seem impossible!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Look at the verses from Genesis again. This is the first time we see God revealed as El Shaddai - to Abram as he turns 99 years old and again is reminded that he will father a son from Sarai - who is 89 years old. Are you kidding me?! Really?! This can really still happen?! Yes! With God as their El Shaddai - God Almighty - God makes a way from who He is in areas that seem impossible!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Just look at what He did for Abraham & Sarah... El Shaddai brought fruit to an empty & very old womb. Do you have areas that seem impossible to you? Areas where you're sure they are just hopeless - even for God?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">So finally I ask you - if God can move and work with the impossibles and make them possibles and fruitful - what's the catch? In other words - what is required of me? Is there something I must do first?</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>YES!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I see three things that put us in the right position to see God move in our areas of impossibilities.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">1. Take this message as a warning. </div><div style="text-align: center;">We will never accomplish for God His plan as long as we are still doing things our way.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't use prayer as your last resort! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. We must be ready to take a posture of positive surrender!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Be willing to let go and let God. Don't do this grudgingly!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. Be willing to wait!</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wait! Really?! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Abraham & Sarah had to wait for God's timing and so must we!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Today, in the comments section, share with us how you have experienced God as your El Shaddai - how He provided in ways that seemed impossible to you. If you have not experienced God as your El Shaddai, share with us how you will begin to let go & let God take control of those areas that give you anxiety.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I love you all dearly and am so very proud that you are still studying God's Word with me!</div><div style="text-align: left;">Your sis in the faith,</div><div style="text-align: left;">pen</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-76646684929992883892010-07-12T09:25:00.000-05:002010-07-12T09:25:12.513-05:00Chapter 4: El Roi - The God Who SeesI'm so proud of you in your faithfulness to this study! I know it must take a lot of discipline to go through a study at home and attend ONLINE, rather than going a meeting a group of ladies. While, yes, it may be easier to cozy up to your computer with a cup of coffee, your Bible, and your book - it does indeed take discipline to read and study. I know this to be true & I applaud your faithfulness!<br />
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I know as a result God is going to show you great & mighty things that will bring healing, comfort and power to your life.<br />
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In this chapter (Chapter 4) we see God as <i>El Roi</i> - The God Who Sees. I hope you have taken the time to read this short chapter - it was amazing! But if you are following this blog only I want to give you some background information.<br />
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The first time in scripture where we see El Roi mentioned is in Genesis 16. Please take a moment to go and read this very short chapter. It is a familiar story about Sarai (her name has not yet been changed to Sarah) & Hagar.<br />
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In Genesis Chapter 16, we see where Sarai, couldn't wait for God to fulfill His promise of her having a son, so she sends Hagar to her husband Abram in the hopes that she can have a son through her. I just wrote in the margins of my Bible, "WOW!" when I read that Abram took Hagar as his wife. I know times were different then, but SERIOUSLY! What was Sarai thinking? As my husband calls it, I think this was some kind of "stinkin' thinkin'!"<br />
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Hagar does get pregnant and does indeed have a son. Good news right? Wrong! As a result, the women treated each other harshly (interesting isn't it... when we get ahead of God and go our own way, discord begins to happen!). Eventually Hagar just can't take it anymore and she runs away (literally).<br />
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The Lord finds Hagar in the wilderness, by a spring and reveals Himself to her as El Roi - the God Who Sees all that has happened. He explains what is about to happen. She will have a son, she will name him Ishmael, and that she is to return to Sarai & Abram.<br />
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My dear friends - have you ever had a Hagar Moment? Perhaps you did exactly like you were told, you did a good job, and then it just didn't measure up? It just wasn't enough and you were still ridiculed for what you were told to do?! How frustrating right? It could be enough for you to literally run away, or enough for you to run away from it in your spirit. And as a result, you never really received healing. If this is where you are today - I have good news for you!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF7lIbkFyXSNc5nYWF8M8ugVguRVBT_RKassvVqUEuINaUMmGyLbrz-VHVMkyChLT3omGZiXlZflig1y2Sl8q2W9D8AcgyI5Z53_vSAHVa2ywQbilB35qsXAACpnQpeoyQi1R70ZdeQgZ/s1600/El+Roi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGF7lIbkFyXSNc5nYWF8M8ugVguRVBT_RKassvVqUEuINaUMmGyLbrz-VHVMkyChLT3omGZiXlZflig1y2Sl8q2W9D8AcgyI5Z53_vSAHVa2ywQbilB35qsXAACpnQpeoyQi1R70ZdeQgZ/s200/El+Roi.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>God sees it all! Have you ever wondered, "Where is God?" or "Did God see what they just did to me?" The answer is a resounding, "YES!" <br />
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Based on this, I would imagine that we all have areas in our life that need some healing? So where do we start? Where does real healing begin? Read Psalm 139: 7-12. Nothing happens that God does not see. There is no place that evil can hide from God. He sees it all.<br />
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Kay says on page 32, "God saw it. He knows the sin that was committed against you. And someday He will vindicate you." How does this make you feel? Does this bring you comfort?<br />
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The chapter ends with a great thought... "What if you had a loved one who ran away or who was missing? Although you would not know where he was or what was happening in his life, El Roi does!" <br />
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Perhaps you're really concerned about your future and you just can see how you're going to get out of where you currently are - you can't see - but El Roi does!<br />
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Conclude your time today reading Proverbs 15:3. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good." <br />
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Comments for today's discussion:<br />
1. What comfort does knowing your God as El Roi bring to you today?<br />
2. How does Proverbs 15:3 make you feel?<br />
3. Do you have some times in your life where you felt like Hagar? How would knowing God as El Roi helped you then and how does it help to heal you now?<br />
4. Take a moment to thank God for being your El Roi - that He does see all that happens concerning you, His child!Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-55580084116131080152010-07-11T08:05:00.000-05:002010-07-11T08:05:40.282-05:00Chapter 3: El Elyon - The God Most HighI certainly hope & pray that you are enjoying this Bible Study. I know that I am. I tried to keep up with the weeks and the chapters - but knowing that the pace of an online study is different than a local in-person study, we're not bound to "weeks." So starting today, I will just list them (or title them) according to the chapter of study.<br />
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Chapter 3 rocked my world! I don't know if you've ever studied the sovereignty of God before, but it can really impact how you view your God and truly impact your prayers in a positive way.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe13-Hds0GbLQ-wvYfCLRBX1SYFwMJPjZ38TDLtR8FlnXnDcbEGk-K7F0CC7nk-QYBkOEfO269zL1SP5F7XEIkrjTOUbiv741HhjbLV83KPmprkQVzPoDLUbQDqzJ223dH22VYnJizJNp/s1600/El+Elyon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRe13-Hds0GbLQ-wvYfCLRBX1SYFwMJPjZ38TDLtR8FlnXnDcbEGk-K7F0CC7nk-QYBkOEfO269zL1SP5F7XEIkrjTOUbiv741HhjbLV83KPmprkQVzPoDLUbQDqzJ223dH22VYnJizJNp/s200/El+Elyon.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>I hope that you saw in studying Elohim that you were created with a purpose! Our God - Elohim - the Creator, created us to give Him glory and to do His will. All that we do in our everyday-regular-life-stuff should point to His glory and that we are being obedient to His will for our lives.<br />
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Now in Chapter 3 we see that God is El Elyon - The God Most High. This means that our God is sovereign. I've listed here just a few definitions of sovereign (this is very helpful if the concept of sovereign is new to you):<br />
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1. Not controlled by outside forces<br />
2. Greatest in status<br />
3. Chief ruler<br />
4. Permanent authority<br />
5. Absolute and independant authority<br />
6. Free from external control and constraint in action and judgment<br />
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On page 15, Kay says, "For if God is not sovereign, if He is not in control, if all things are not under His dominion, then He is not the Most High, and you and I are either in the hands of fate (whatever that is), in the hands of man, or in the hands of the devil."<br />
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After reading this I wrote in the margin of my book, "This leaves me no security! What a scary thought!" Ladies... I want my God to be Most High - I want my God to be sovereign! Don't you?!<br />
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In this chapter Kay had us turn to many scriptures to see the sovereignty of God. I do hope that you have a book and are actually turning to them in your own Bible. If you do not have a book - I've listed them here for you. Please take a moment and turn to them and see what a sovereign God looks like.<br />
<i>(Don't worry - they aren't long and they are worth it to see! I promise!) </i><br />
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Daniel 4:34-35; Isaiah 14:24,27; Isaiah 46: 9-11; Daniel 2:20-23; Isaiah 5:5-7; Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 1:5-6; 1 Samuel 2:6-10; Isaiah 45:6-7; John 19:10-11<br />
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Stop for a minute and think about your own life. Do you like that God is in control all the time? That nothing can happen to you, to your family, to all the people around you without the ultimate permission of God? Share with us how this makes you feel in the comment section today!<br />
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Ladies, it is so important to realize, especially after reading these verses, that God is totally and completely in control of your life! There is great news here! God wants you to follow Him - to do His will and to bring glory to Him and He will do and/or allow anything to happen to get to that end! <br />
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He will allow amazing miracles to take place to show His glory. He will also allow horrible hardships to befall us - if it will bring us to our knees and recognize that He is Holy. Remember - it's all about His glory and His will. <br />
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I have often said that many times God will through small little pebbles at us to get our attention. Please, ladies do not push Him to through a boulder at us! <b>Recognize when He's trying to get your attention. If you miss it - in His sovereignty, He might just wound so He can heal! </b><i>(from verse Deuteronomy 32:39 - go read it if you didn't before - it will really educate you!)</i><br />
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El Elyon is super powerful! He is the Most High God. Did you know that our prayers do not inform or educate God about anything? Nothing surprises God! He is bigger than anything you can share with Him. He is bigger than your worst nightmare! He is more powerful than your scariest monster in your life! And the good news - He is so big that there's nothing you can do to make Him stop loving you! He's more forgiving than your biggest mistake! He has more love than you have mistakes. His bag of do-overs never empties! He is the God Most High! <i> </i><br />
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I want to close with a small exercise. In Chapter 2, we read Romans 11:36 - "For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."<br />
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I want you to list your "all things" to God. In other words, what are you dealing with this morning that is quite frankly just too much for you? Because remember - from, through, and to - is this thing!<br />
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Now - look at the verse for Chapter 3 - Psalm 57:2 - "I will cry to God Most High, to God who accomplishes all things for me."<br />
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Here we see El Elyon - we can cry to Him with the "all thing" that you listed from Chapter 2 - and know that our God is able to accomplish it for us!<br />
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It is comforting to me to know that I can cry out to El Elyon and know that in His sovereignty He will accomplish good things in my life!<br />
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Continue reading - continue learning about your God - everything rides on this! I promise that your prayers will become more effective and so will your life, as you study the names of your God!<br />
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your sis in the faith,<br />
PenPennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-13554828372600851612010-07-07T05:55:00.000-05:002010-07-12T14:38:19.016-05:00Week 2: Chapter 2 - Elohim<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71NAdC1e0pnMXLEiUGKDHKtjwOSObKauDeojAB_bgiD_DylRZt8f6Ym59L9L3kHFlgl5Q_l1ECwctK0CpRr1Sc2TgMHXTeqHuyXedQ1dwOc66SFjxDBP5gyuwQdl-mr8VOQu3ITnQ91CL/s1600/God+Creator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh71NAdC1e0pnMXLEiUGKDHKtjwOSObKauDeojAB_bgiD_DylRZt8f6Ym59L9L3kHFlgl5Q_l1ECwctK0CpRr1Sc2TgMHXTeqHuyXedQ1dwOc66SFjxDBP5gyuwQdl-mr8VOQu3ITnQ91CL/s200/God+Creator.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Hello my dear Friends!<br />
I really wanted chapters 2 & 3 to come a lot sooner than this, but no worries - remember the online pace could be slower or faster than the local classes. I might surprise you this next week and have a posting about chapters 4-6 really fast... you just never know - so I hope you're checking the blog daily so you don't miss anything!<br />
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Wow! Chapter 2 rocked my world! Just from a name of God we can find our entire life's purpose!<br />
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We learned our first name of God - Elohim. The El part of this name means, "mighty" and "strong" and the him part is a plural ending indicating more than one. This is where we learn about the Trinity - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.<br />
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Our God is a 3 in 1 God who is mighty & strong. Elohim is also the name for God as CREATOR. In the previous chapter we learned that the name of God is a strong tower and we can run to it for safety. How in the world can knowing our God as Creator be a strong tower for us?<br />
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God, as Creator, gave us life. Have you ever wondered why? Why did He create you? Why in the world are you here?<br />
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Please read Psalm 139:13-14. You are fearfully & wonderfully made! Do you know this? Or do you look in the mirror and see something different than what God sees?<br />
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On page 10 of Chapter 2, Kay talks about the disciples who had seen a blind man. This man had been blind from birth and the disciples asked who in this man's life had sinned. Jesus answered this question in John 9:3, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works fo God might be displayed him him."<br />
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Wow! You may not understand why you look the way you do, or why you're having to experience the kind of life that you have, but you can trust in the name of your God!<br />
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Read Isaiah 50:10. Here we see someone who fears God, obeys God and yet still struggles in life. But Isaiah says to still trust in & rely on the name of God!<br />
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Read Romans 11:36 (<i>this is one of my favorite verses!</i>)<br />
"For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen."<br />
<b>Share with us what this verse means to you.</b><br />
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So again... why were we created?<br />
Read Isaiah 43:1, 3-4, 7<br />
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We were created for His glory! Have you ever been told this before? Do you really get what this means for your daily life?! <b>Share with us what this means to you.</b><br />
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Kay defines what glory means on page 12, "in the Hebrew language it means to give the correct opinion or estimate of."<br />
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Okay, so if I am created for His glory, then my life should reflect a correct opinion or estimate of who God is. Kay asks us, "How would you live if you were to live for His glory?" Great question!!!<br />
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But you weren't only created for His glory - you were also created to do His will.<br />
Read Revelation 4:11.<br />
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Did you see it? "but because of Thy will they existed and were created." Our lives should be lived in such a way as to reflect Him and His character and to accomplish His will.<br />
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Please don't miss this! "To miss this purpose is to miss fulfillment." My husband always says, in almost every sermon or counseling session that the Bible is filled guidelines that will give you the best life possible - don't miss it!<br />
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Elohim is our strong & mighty Creator God who gives us true life! Do you want to just exist or do you want to truly live?! Don't just go through life day after day burning hours - truly begin to live today by understanding that the very name of your God gives you life and purpose!<br />
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Are you living the purpose of your creation? What would you need to change to make that happen?<br />
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Comments for this chapter discussion:<br />
1. Share how Romans 11:36 impacts your daily life.<br />
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2. Do you truly get that you were created for His glory? Does your life reflect the character of God in your daily, regular life stuff?<br />
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3. Why is it important to know God as our Creator?<br />
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4. What is currently happening in your life or circumstances that is easier to deal with now that you know God as your Elohim?<br />
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I look forward to reading and sharing with you!<br />
Your sis in the faith,<br />
PenPennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-33431990752028606572010-07-01T21:44:00.000-05:002010-07-01T22:03:13.124-05:00Week 1: Chapter 1Okay, so I know most of you probably have the book and are faithfully doing your daily assignments and are just plugging along in this new study. However, I have had several ladies ask if they could just follow the blog - without necessarily buying the book.<br />
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I will NEVER tell something they have to buy something to study God's word. Just get your Bible in your hand and your spirit in a place to receive what God wants to show you and you are welcome!<br />
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So, tonight (while the kids are asleep & John is at a church meeting) I thought I would give you a few notes about the first chapter. <br />
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<b>Chapter 1: The Names of the Lord</b><br />
At the very beginning of this chapter Kay asks the question, "Where do you run in time of need?"<br />
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We study the names of God to know where to run to find help in times of trouble, worry, and fear. When it seems like darkness is all around you and nothing you're doing seems to be working, where do you go? When you feel like you're lost and you just can't seem to get a handle on life and certainly can't find joy, you need a strong and powerful name you can lean on and run to - and God is just that kind of name.<br />
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Proverbs 18:10, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe."<br />
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My sweet friends, we may not be able to ever know the reasons why things happen in our lives, but we can know the God who is able to deliver us through every trial and circumstance. Do you believe this today? If you're not sure... hang on. Stick with us for this study. Test and see if your faith is not strengthened the more we get to know Him.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Psalm 20:7 says, </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>"Some boast in chariots, and some in horses; </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>but we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God."</b></div><br />
Do you know what it means to boast in the name of the Lord? To boast in something means to have confidence in or to trust. So to boast in the name of the Lord means to have confidence in His name.<br />
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<i><b>Can you say that you boast in the name of God? </b></i><br />
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I think that we don't run to God or boast in God because we don't really know Him. I hope that you have taken time to read the many names of God at the back of your book. Did you know before this study that God even had that many names?!<br />
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<b>Read all of Psalm 20.</b><br />
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In this passage look for every word that has something to do with trouble, need, or help and mark it in some way.<br />
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Now look for the Lord's promises - mark those too!<br />
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I also write a blog that bears the name "LIVING ABOVE' - we see in verse 1 that we can be set securely on high - we can live above whatever we're going through. What sets us there on that high place - THE NAME OF GOD!! Now that's some kind of power!<br />
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One last thing about this Psalm... verse 7 refers to chariots and horses.<br />
What happened to the people who boasted in those?<br />
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What happened to the people who boasted in the name of the Lord?<br />
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Now don't you feel proud of yourself?! We've already covered Chapter 1!!<br />
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<b>Comment suggestions:</b><br />
Always feel like you can "share" or comment on anything that you like about this chapter. Even if you see something that I didn't bring up here! I love it when someone sees something totally different from the same set of scriptures that I read!!!<br />
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<i>But if you're needing some help...</i><br />
1. Contrast the two type of people - those who boast in the Lord and those who boast in horses & chariots. Did you learn something here?<br />
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2. Have you ever trusted in your own type of "horse & chariot" and if so what were they and how did they work for you?<br />
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3. Now name a time that you totally trusted in the name of the Lord. What were your results?<br />
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Please take time to pray over what you have learned from this first chapter. And I would love to encourage you to memorize Proverbs 18:10 - "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe."<br />
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I love you all dearly and welcome your input, insights, questions, and comments!<br />
Your sis in the faith,<br />
PenPennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-15961647548132926332010-06-29T17:15:00.001-05:002010-06-30T06:18:14.680-05:00Week 1: Introduction<div style="text-align: center;">I'm so excited this day has finally come! </div><div style="text-align: center;">Wednesday - Day 1 - Week 1 of our online study of, "Lord, I Want to Know You."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I don't know the hows and whys of what brought you to this study in this venue, but I would love to! Please feel free to share in the comments what made you want to do this particular study in this manner (online) and at this time. I think our answers will be interesting to share!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today, I just want us to get familiar with our book and all that we'll be learning in this study. In the local Bible Study group, we're doing this entire book in just 6-7 weeks. I know it seems fast, so we're calling it our Summer Intensive Bible Study. But the beauty of going through a study <b><i>online </i></b>is you can take it at whatever pace is comfortable for you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Each week we will be discussing 3 names of God - or going through 3 chapters at a time. Again, don't let this deter you from checking in and following along. Just continue to read and comment at the pace that best fits your mood, schedule, and availability (or if you have children - the pace at which they keep interruption to a minimum!) .</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I want you to get familiar with your book... </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first thing I want you to do is write your name and the date in the inside cover of your book. Also write somewhere that you did this study with a group of ladies online. I promise you'll reference this book again in the future and it will make you smile to remember the date and the circumstances of which you studied the Names of God.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Second, turn to page 196. The page number is not actually listed on the page - but it is a page at the end of the book (right across from "Study Resources") that lists all the names of God that we will study, along with what the names mean. Take a moment to read them all and then circle the one that most intrigues you. Perhaps because it fills a need that you have or perhaps because it's a way that God has really been there for you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgs1tt-6YOQMDcBP3xJTg6zgyiXqLyepGyxJA0d1t8VFMW-IDIPtn-ZtL_kx9YGoIGbzjXhQ11mYKAmeUl6z0ep-ckhlUUyAHYkjc7Z8sZig2WcSWwQCDa33sNYahDbQ1Mn7Zd8a0RNfc/s1600/namesofGod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgs1tt-6YOQMDcBP3xJTg6zgyiXqLyepGyxJA0d1t8VFMW-IDIPtn-ZtL_kx9YGoIGbzjXhQ11mYKAmeUl6z0ep-ckhlUUyAHYkjc7Z8sZig2WcSWwQCDa33sNYahDbQ1Mn7Zd8a0RNfc/s320/namesofGod.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I want you to look at page 193. If you're like me, you might need help pronouncing a few of the names we're about to learn. I wanted you to know that this page exists & where to find it so you can reference it as we go through the book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay, the final thing before we dive into this study, turn back to the Introduction (I know I'm weird, I started you at the back of the book only to finally bring you to the front) and look at the first page 3rd paragraph. I want you to underline this verse. Perhaps even find it in your own Bible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let's look at it together here: </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Daniel 11:32, "the people who know their God will display strength and take action".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Are you ready to have more strength in your every day? Are you ready to take action with specific areas in your life? Then I have the answer...<b> get to know your God!</b> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I love Kay's very first sentence of the Introduction, "So much of our confusion, our pain, our indecision, and our wrong decisions come because we do not know God."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are ready for these negatives to go away - then get ready... they more you know your God, the more confident you can be sure that you're on the right road for your life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Okay - let's dive in! Let's get started already!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">From now until next Wednesday work on the first 3 chapters of the book. Next Wednesday you'll find discussion topics and questions. If I get industrious you may find blog posts before then - sometimes I just can't help myself when it comes to studying God's Word.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So... read and study the first 3 chapters of the book.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The first names of God that we will study are:</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1. Elohim - The Creator (chapter 2)</div><div style="text-align: justify;">2. El Elyon - The God Most High (chapter 3)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally, I want to encourage you in this study!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are several levels at which you can go through this book. I promise you that you will get out of this what you put into it. Kay Arthur does NOT spoon feed you! Having said that, I still want you to come here & study God's Word with me at whatever level you are prepared to learn. I would love to encourage you to mark the things that Kay tells you to mark. She's going to have you read some verses many times - do this! You'll understand why as we go along. She's going to have you ask the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions about scriptures - so you can dig out His truths for yourself. She wants you to develop your Bible Study skills and not solely rely on what others say about His Word. You're going to really enjoy this about her teachings! She is going to help you develop really strong spiritual muscles! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>So whether you're just here to read the blog periodically or answer every discussion question in the book daily and on schedule -<b> you're welcome here!</b> I want this to be a place where you feel safe, loved on, and cared about! I may or may not know you and all that's going on in your life - but God does! And through studying His Word together we can support and love one another!<br />
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<b>Comments for today's session: </b><br />
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I look forward to learning more about why you've chosen this study, at this time, and in this venue (online).<br />
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Also share with us your thoughts about learning the many names of God.<br />
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Then finally, share with us which name of God you circled on the chart at the back of the book and why. <br />
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I'll see ya next week!<br />
Your sis in the faith,<br />
Pen <br />
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</div>Pennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2962514900115256736.post-34133949898462323592010-06-26T10:47:00.000-05:002010-06-26T10:47:10.069-05:00Welcome to "Lord, I Want to Know You!"Welcome Everyone!<br />
On June 30th, we are starting "Lord, I Want to Know You!" Bible Study by Kay Arthur. I have heard from so many ladies many things about Bible Study time. Some of you want to participate, but the time that we're meeting just doesn't fit your summer schedule. Others of you don't even live in New Orleans! You would like to do the study - but you live in Texas, or New York, or Utah! <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Well, I'm here to invite all my friends to do this wonderful study </div><div style="text-align: center;">on the Names of God with me - right here - online!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">How will this work?</div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;"> First - become a follower of this blog. That way I'll know who's interested in doing the study. Then each week, I'll post discussion questions and you can leave comments or questions you may have about the chapters. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">What about the book?</div><br />
You can purchase the book just about anywhere! You can either go to www.cbd.com or any LifeWay Christian Store will have it as well. You might can even find it at a Barnes & Noble. I believe the book is about $14.<br />
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What is this study all about?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPX7VfZwTBREWB9D6wVMp9TWVU1izhnM6pk8yew-LJ0GwrUZBZkB_OhRmUFA_9pNnGheox8pMV4lad_B7w78DD5ihgZwd259Q7KMqirAAYtKj9CmyWMd1zE__mIx5vGRxqCUkPZsh4NJo0/s1600/kayarthur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPX7VfZwTBREWB9D6wVMp9TWVU1izhnM6pk8yew-LJ0GwrUZBZkB_OhRmUFA_9pNnGheox8pMV4lad_B7w78DD5ihgZwd259Q7KMqirAAYtKj9CmyWMd1zE__mIx5vGRxqCUkPZsh4NJo0/s200/kayarthur.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>Everyone loves to hear their own name said aloud! So does God! And God has MANY names! He has a name for just about anything you may need - healing, comfort, provider! The more we know about His Name - the better we will know our God. Please join us right here.. as we study the names of God together!<br />
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I'm so excited about this new addition to our Ladies Bible Studies! I'm looking forward to seeing just who all will join us from all over the world! No matter where you live, what you do, who you are - YOU ARE WELCOME here!<br />
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Your sis in the faith,<br />
PenPennyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04268584870305231307noreply@blogger.com0